Bleach: The Squad 14 Arc
by TheSinnerWithin
Summary: The captain-commander establishes a new squad to help keep the peace. Follow them in their adventures as they protect the world and Soul Society, learn the darkest of untold secrets, and maybe a little romance on the side to top it all off.
1. The Rise of Squad 14

The Rise of Squad 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original Bleach characters or their affiliations, Tite Kubo does. I do own every character and their Zanpaktous within Squad 14 and a few others on top of that.**

Alarms blared throughout all of Seireitei. Shinigami dispersed across the city searching for the intruders. Genryuusai barked at the closest messenger, "Send in the Kido Corps!"

**X**

Yagami Masaru raced through the maze-like streets of Seireitei, glancing quickly down any path for signs of the intruders. He instinctively flash-stepped out of harm's way as two Adjuchas came barreling through the walls of a building at him. He whirled on them and yanked his Zanpaktou free from its sheath. One of the Adjuchas hurled itself forward at him. "Bakudo 4: Byakurai!" yelled Masaru. A pale bolt of lightning flew from his fingertips and burnt a gaping hole in the Adjuchas bone-white mask.

The Adjuchas disintegrated into the air and its companion bellowed in fury, "You will pay for that Shinigami!" The Adjuchas charged forward recklessly enveloped in his rage. Masaru poised his Zanpaktou to strike and flash-stepped forward. He ducked under a swipe from a clawed hand and severed it at the wrist. The Adjuchas bellowed in pain and spat in a mixture of agony and fury, "Damn you shinigami!"

Masaru responded with a grim smile and raised his blade above his head and brought it down on the Adjuchas' mask cleaving him vertically in two. Masaru placed the tip of the blade in its sheath but whipped it back out and spun around as a human-like figure sonidoed out of the shadows. The figure swiftly planted a foot in his stomach and sent Masaru tumbling down the stone street and crashing through the walls of a simple apartment.

An Arrancar briskly walked down the street towards him with his hand clasped around the guard of his Zanpaktou. "Too slow Shinigami!" he laughed. Two Fraccions sonidoed into view on both sides of him and smirked at their fallen foe. Masaru stirred and stared in surprise at his opponent, "An Arrancar? I'm amazed that one evolved from Adjuchas form so quickly," he said.

"Guess you thought wrong shinigami scum," replied the Arrancar, "Besides there are several more Arrancar back in Hueco Muendo. This is just a mere scouting mission."

"That's good to know, I thank you for the news I will be providing the captain-commander of the Gotei 13 once we are finished," replied Masaru.

"You must know that since I am telling you this I have no intention of letting you live," replied the Arrancar, "Out of respect I will let you know the name of your killer. I am Ryuu, Espada 8 of the New Order."

Ryuu grabbed him by the kosode of his Shihakusho and lifted him off the ground above him and hurled him through the building beside him. Masaru flash-stepped out of the rubble and slashed for Ryuu's hip with his Zanpaktou. Ryuu unsheathed his Zanpaktou just enough to deflect the blow before pulling it out of its sheath and engaging Masaru. Sparks flashed into existence as their blades collided again and again in a never ending flurry of attacks and counters.

Masuru slammed the guard of hs sword into Ryuu's stomach and sent him careening aside. He lunged forward through the opening in Ryuu's guard and the tip barely nicked his flesh before Ryuu sonidoed out of harm's way. Ryuu wildly slashed at his exposed back but Masaru swung his blade behind him to intercept the vicious blow.

Masaru whipped around and swatted Ryuu's Zanpaktou aside before plunging his own into Ryuu's torso. Ryuu spat blood on the ground and pulled himself off the now blood-soaked blade. He glared in cold fury at the shinigami and charged again regaining the offensive.

Masaru deflected every strike and slashed for his opponent's throat. Ryuu deflected the reckless move and kicked him into another building. Ryuu signaled to the Fraccions, "Finish him!" They nodded in compliance and unsheathed their on Zanpaktous and headed for the gaping hole in the building. Two women flash-stepped in front of the rubble and unsheathed their Zanpaktous; they both flash-stepped forward and engaged the Fraccions. Ryuu growled in utter frustration, "More shinigami?"

Masaru flash-stepped out of the wreckage and sliced at Ryuu, "Having your servants do your dirty work? Never took you for a coward," taunted Masaru. He uppercutted Ryuu with the guard of his Zanpaktou and began to chant a Kido spell, "Bakudo 73: Sōren Sōkatsui!" Twin giant streams of blue fire coiled around another and surged for Ryuu from his palms. Ryuu disappeared in the torrent of flames and a column of fire rose up from the storm of fire before crashing back down onto Ryuu like a waterfall of blue fire.

The Fraccions used the moment to attack the distracted shinigami by the Kido spell. Akane regained focus on her opponents and slashed at them to keep them back. "Slice through the sea, Oshankingu!" she cried. Her Zanpaktou eroded down into a thin strip of metal and extended out ten feet and coiled around her like a sea serpent. She pressed the teardrop-shaped jewel on her guard and it indented inward slightly. Water surged out of the base of the guard and exploded at the Fraccion.

The Fraccion disappeared under the torrent of water. The water swelled around him and dropped into a vortex. Water bubbled and frothed at his feet slowly rising around him. Hikari lunged forward at her opponent. "Focus on your own fight dumbass!" she bellowed. The Fraccion whirled around and deflected the attack before gaining the offensive.

He slashed and hacked in every direction to try to keep her off balance. Hikari easily blocked every blow and shoved him back a few paces with her blade. "You lack technique, a sparring session with Squad 11 can fix that up," she said.

The Fraccion hissed in fury and redoubled his efforts slashing wildly for her throat, stomach, and hip. Hikari shoved him back again before the Fraccion hissed in fury and released his Zanpaktou. "Judge, Santa Delacruz!"

Hikari smiled as his Zanpaktou melded into armor around him and turned into cannon on his arms. Hikari charged and slid to a halt before diving aside a blindly shot Cero. She regained her footing and snarled at the cheap shot. She released her Zanpaktou, "Shear through the earth, paradasu!" The blade chiseled down and the guard dissipated. Black leather streamed into existence and wrapped around the blade slightly.

She looked at him and a gust of air blew through her hair revealing the black and red eye patch covering her left eye. She smirked at the surprised Fraccion and sprang forward with increased speed. She swung again and again each time the Fraccion's blade slipped into a small crater on the blade. Hikari slapped the Fraccion's blade aside and slipped her own past his and straight into his chest barely missing his heart.

The Fraccion stumbled back as blood trickled down his lips and spurted from his wound. He quickly fired off Cero after Cero. Hikari swung her blade four times and her blade sliced through every single energy shot. Spiritual pressure increased tenfold as he charged up two Ceros in each cannon. Hikari smiled as two massive Cero rays surged at her. She reached up to her eye patch and tore it free before tossing it to the ground. She opened her eye and the red jeweled eye of a Hollow greeted the Fraccion. Her reiatsu practically exploded as she ducked and weaved under each Cero and made her way to her prey.

The Fraccion desperately tried to defend himself as Hikari sprang forward and slashed a deep, diagonal cut trailing down from his left shoulder to his waist. Blood exploded from the cut and pooled in the street. The Fraccion gasped in surprise and collapsed to the ground dead. Ryuu reappeared out of the firefall and watched the Fraccion get cut down by the woman. His other subordinate had disappeared in a storm of water and hadn't surfaced yet. He got the strange feeling that he never would.

He turned to the female shinigami with the chiseled blade and see looked up and the glowing red eye rooted him to the spot. He suppressed a shudder and opened a gargantuan. Hikari grinned as the Arrancar disappeared back to Hueco Muendo. The fierce storm behind her finally reached its maximum strength. A twisting column of water exploded out of the water surging several hundred feet into the air. "Crash back to the earth, Oshankingu!" The water melded into a liquid serpent and it opened its foaming jaws in a feral snarl.

The serpent dropped back down to the street only mere feet away from the Fraccion. His last words were, "Oh, shit!" The jaws snapped closed and the water calmed and rippled softly into a large puddle. Akane's shikai dissipated and returned to its normal form. Masaru stood rooted to the ground as he stared into the hollow eye that dug like a piece of hot metal deep into his head. Captain Soi Fon and her squad flash stepped into the street.

Hikari quickly slipped the eye patch on and sheathed her Zanpaktou. Soi Fon stared in wonder as she saw a glimpse of scarlet beneath the eye patch. "Did you apprehend the intruders!" asked Soi Fon. "Captain, it was several Adjuchas and three Arrancar, one called himself an Espada. But that's not possible right?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know this was so sudden," said Soi Fon lost in thought, "Did he by any chance say anything to you?"

"Yes captain, he said he was Espada 8 of the New Order and that they would return for revenge," said Masaru.

"I see well we better report this to the Captain-Commander," she replied.

A hell butterfly fluttered down from the sky and landed on Soi Fon's fingertips. "Well this works perfectly in our favor. The Captain-Commander wishes to speak with you three anyway," she said.

Masaru sheathed his blade and exchanged looks of surprise between Akane and Hikari. Soi Fon signaled for them to follow before flash-stepping away. They rapidly flash-stepped from roof to roof until they finally came before the main entrance to the Squad 1 Barracks; Soi Fon dropped down into a crouch with the other three behind her. They strode right in and headed for Genryuusai's office. Captain-Commander Yamamoto turned to the four entering his office. Soi Fon stopped in surprise when she found every captain assembled except Mayuri.

Mayuri suddenly flash-stepped into his place in line, "What's with the emergency meeting Captain-Commander? I was enjoying an experiment on something very interesting."

"Quiet Mayuri," commanded Yamamoto, "I brought you all here to discuss a problem I have been pondering on lately."

"I feel that the Gotei 13 is too few in number to be dispersed as they are. I have decided to establish another squad," continued Genryuusai.

"Another squad?" exclaimed Hitsugaya.

"So we will become known as the Gotei 14?" asked Ukitake.

Mayuri cleared his throat and interrupted the other captain's protests. "I think another squad is a wonderful idea. It gives me more time for my experiments," said Mayuri, "But there's just one problem who will be captain?"

"I think Yagami Masaru would be an excellent choice," said Yamamoto.

"The boy? Ha, I bet he can't even use bankai," sneered Mayuri.

Yamamoto smiled as Masaru's spiritual pressure filled the room directed at Mayuri and brought him down to one knee. Soi Fon clenched both fists in pain as the reiatsu pierced the air. "As for bankai," he said. He tossed Kurai Koka into the air and chanted, "Yukue Fumei No Daka Koka!" The sword exploded into a thin whirlpool of green fire. Searing heat filled the room as a slender pole of various bones fixated into a scythe with a human skull on the bottom. The scythe dropped into Masaru's grasp. He swished it through the room and pointed the skull out the window to fire off a jet of green fire outside. "Yukue Fumei No Daka Koka can slice through any armor and almost any Kido barrier or powers like that. The skull fires off and enhances the strength and range of Hado spells," said Masaru.

Mayuri got to his feet and scanned the bankai up and down, "It's pretty impressive," he said.

"On top of being able to use Bankai, Masaru can wield Kido spells as skillful as Byakuya," said Yamamoto. Byakuya fixated a glance on Masaru at his name being mentioned.

"Then it's decided," said Yamamoto. A shinigami brought in a haori and quickly died the new squad emblem on it. Masaru slipped it on and turned to Yamamoto. "Who will be in my squad?"

"You choose," said Yamamoto.

"Well then, I hope you don't mind Kenpachi because I am taking Hikari as my lieutenant," said Masaru, "My wife, Akane will be my third seat, her shikai is breathtaking to behold." He scanned through a list of new Shinou Academy graduates and choose people off of the list by their lists of accomplishments and powers. "My fourth seat will be Yukiko Sakura. My fifth will be Daisuke Hideaki. My sixth will be Hisashi Isao," said Masaru, "I would like to choose two more unseated squad members: Katsumi Jun and Kazuhiro Makoto."

"Well then that's settled, today marks the birth of Squad 14," said Genryuusai.

**X**

Ryuu stood beside another Arrancar as they watched Genryuusai establish another squad through a strange spell. The blue ball of liquid fire dissolved and the Espada cackled with insane laughter, "Enjoy the peace while you can, shinigami!"

**A/N: Fin! Hehe cliffhanger! Sorry about that, hoped you liked it and will continue reading. Please review, favorite, PM me with critique and ideas. Btw I'm on like episode 201 right now so im winging the ending of the Winter War so if Las Noches was completely destroyed or wasn't touched at all please tell me, thanks ^_^!**

**xXCutSceneXx**

**Ryuu: I just love a woman with power!**

**Akane glared at him and planted a kick to the groin and displayed her left middle finger to his face with a ring glistening beside it.**

**Ryuu: *groans in pain* Feisty too!**

**Hikari: That's what you get whore. *shows eye to creep him out***

**~~Bye XD~~**


	2. The Yagami Manor

The Yagami Manor

The water rushed down the stream that flowed into the large koi pond in the center of the garden. Cherry blossom trees surrounded the reed covered banks of the pond. Masaru watched the fish swim in synchronized circles harmoniously. A servant walked out into the garden, "Master Yagami, there is someone here to see you!"

Masaru nodded and headed inside through the main hall to the front doors of the manse. He walked out the open door and signaled to the guards to open the gates. A figure flash-steeped forward at him and he brought his Zanpaktou to bear. Another Zanpaktou collided with his in a clash of sparks. Hikari smiled at him and disengaged. "I'm just testing you," she said.

Masaru smirked, "Is that how things go in Squad 11?"

"Pretty much," she replied, "We test each other to see if they are worthy of holding their position. To be a member you have to be prepared for any situation."

**X**

A shinigami stood on the rooftop of a watch tower near the Yagami Manor. Ten masked figures dropped onto the roof around him. "You know what to do," said the shinigami.

"Yes sir," said the leader of the group, "We already have ten more of our task force surrounding the manor as we speak."

"Good," replied the shinigami, "Kill them all just to be safe."

The ten assassins flash-stepped away from roof to roof.

**X**

"Apparently the captain-commander already has a mission for us," said Lieutenant Hikari.

"Which is?" asked Masaru.

"He wants us to investigate Hueco Muendo for signs of Arrancar activity. He said not to engage them though," she replied.

Masaru pivoted to avoid a silver blade aiming for the side of his neck. He whirled on his assailant and knocked the dagger aside. The assassin flash-stepped out of harm's way as Masaru's Zanpaktou sliced for his throat.

Masaru smirked as ten more flash-stepped into the courtyard forming a circle around him. He began to chant a Kido spell, "Way of Destruction 58: Tenran!" A tornado swelled up around Masaru and pulsated off in two quick waves. The assassins were hurled off their feet and collided with the walls surrounding the courtyard.

Hikari laughed as ten more leapt over the wall, "They're mine," she said to Masaru. She sprang forward and unsheathed her Zanpaktou carving a bloody swathe through her enemies. "Shear through the earth, Paradasu!" she cried. The guard eroded away and leather wrapped around the now chiseled blade to form a grip. Hikari caught the transformed sword and sprung forward at the leader.

**X**

Thirty more assassins entered through the front gates pushing them open by force. A shinigami entered amidst their wake. A servant rushed up to the shinigami, "Oh good another shinigami! Please assist us!" he cried. The sound of steel flashing through the air and sinking into flesh echoed across the courtyard. A moment later, the decapitated servant's corpse slumped over and struck the pavestones.  
>Akane shoved the front doors open and unsheathed her Zanpaktou, "First, you all trespass in my mansion. Then you proceed to wreck my shit <em>and <em>kill my servants; I don't think so. I'm going to start chopping people up," she bellowed in fury.

She released her Zanpaktou, "Slice through the sea, Oshankingu!" Her blade dissipated into the air and a thin strip of metal stretched out of the hilt ten feet. She whipped it at the nearest assassin slicing his left arm off at the forearm. She flash-stepped forward and swung the shikai at a group of assassins. They ducked under the vicious attack and charged her at once. She pressed the teardrop jewel and water exploded out of the guard.

The assassins skidded across the courtyard, knocked aside by the torrent of liquid. She flicked her shikai upward and the water gathered into a wave almost ten stories high and came crashing down on the assassins at the entrance. They all choked and spat water out and lay stunned and sprawled on the street. The water surged out the gate and the serpent formed swallowing them whole. The serpent circled and slammed through the wall and devoured another group of five and moved to another still stunned on the outskirts beneath the wall.

Hikari sliced off the hands of two assassins and impaled another in the chest. She whirled around as the shinigami swiftly fired two Kido spells at her, "Bakudo 9: Geki!" "Hado 31: Shakkaho!" Red light engulfed her and forced her to a halt and a trance-like paralysis engulfed her senses. A ball of red fire shot for her and struck her straight in the chest. Masaru covered his eyes as his lieutenant disappeared in a huge explosion in just a few seconds. The flames dissipated after a minute and the dust and ash settled. Hikari still stood frozen by the Bakudo spell. Her Shihakusho was torn in places shredded by the blast. Only a little of the hakama remained just covering her waist down to her upper calf. Her kosode only covered most of her chest with shreds of it draping down to her naval.

She looked up at the Shinigami with her hollow eye showing. Her eye patch lay discarded on the ground and burnt in places. The shinigami recoiled from the hollow eye. Hikari flashed an evil grin. She unleashed her reiatsu with tenfold power and shredded the spell constricting her. She pointed her shikai at him, "Hikatokage no rakuen!" she cried. Her sword exploded in a bright blast of white light and reemerged as two separate blades a black with white leather guard and a white with a black leather guard. She flash-stepped forward with far greater speed than the eye could even follow. The shinigami barely had time to deflect her frenzy of attacks.

Hikari brought her blades down in a X-slash and her blade slashed through the shinigami's Shihakusho and into the flesh. Blood exploded from the wound and he collapsed dazed. Blood pooled around him. She walked away to assist Masaru and Akane with dealing with his minions. The shinigami sprang at her lunging for her exposed back.

White and black fire streamed off both of her swords and engulfed the desperate shinigami. He writhed in agony on the pavestone as layer by layer of flesh burned away. He tried to attack her again and again but collapsed. He looked up at her with almost all of the bones in his face showing and howled in fury before chanting another Kido spell, "Hado 88: Hiryūgekizokushintenraihō!" Lightning crackled a as a massive bolt flung from his palm a few inches before backfiring and striking the shinigami. He disappeared in a huge explosion of electricity. Great tongues of white fire rose into the sky from the blast. The shinigami stood frozen hand still aiming the spell all of his being devoid of flesh or life. The bones still stood blackened and charred until a gust of wind blew through to disintegrate them into a pile of ash and swept it away in the breeze.

Another shinigami stood watching the scene unfold out of sight, "You are a fool, Amadai Yusari!"

Masaru looked up at the direction of the voice and saw the silhouetted figure disappear in a flash-step. "I think there is another beyond this attack, "he said to Akane, who was still observing Hikari sweep through the remaining assassins and cut them down as they fled. Two jumped up onto the wall and tried to jump down into the streets of Seireitei before being incinerated by her Bankai.

Her swords reverberated back into its natural form before she sheathed it and walked over to Akane and Masaru. Akane summoned a servant, "Fetch her a robe from my quarters please. A moment later the servant returned with a flowing jet black silk robe and Hikari slipped it on. She retrieved her eye patch and slipped it back on. She tied her sash around her waist and slipped the sheath of her Zanpaktou inside the sash.

She grabbed her fallen squad emblem bade and strapped it to her thigh. Masaru sent out several Hell butterflies all over Seireitei. Several seated squad members of the squad flash-stepped into the ruined courtyard. "What happened?" asked the fourth seat, Yukiko Sakura.

"A large task force of unknown assailants assaulted my manor moments ago led by a shinigami by the name of Amadai Yusari, do any of you know him?" asked Captain Yagami.

"Yes, he was a member of Squad 3 actually," said Sakura.  
>"Why am I not surprised," sighed Akane.<br>"It's a matter Kazuhiro and Katsumi can investigate covertly while we are gone," said Captain Yagami, "For now myself, the lieutenant and third seat will go to Hueco Muendo on a secret operation. Try to earn the other squads respect while we are gone."  
>Masaru pointed a finger at the mansion's gates, "Keikaigi!" A gargantuan opened and Masaru, Hikari, and Akane vanished within leaving Seireitei behind.<p>

**A/N: Another chapter down! Sorry for it being a little shorter I was rushed by Lieutenant Hikari. Hope you enjoyed and this is just the beginning of the plot of my arc start to rise. Until next chapter!**


	3. The New Order

The New Order

The gargantuan ripped open to reveal an endless sea of sand. Captain Yagami strode out onto the sand. A weird pulse of energy rippled through the dunes as soon as he touched down. The ground shook and trembled. Masaru watched the ground quietly as an eerie silence set in. A massive Adjuchas burst from beneath a dune and roared in fury at the three trespassers. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!" yelled Masaru. Red energy flashed into existence and fired straight into between the Adjuchas' eyes. The Adjuchas' mask shattered from the blast and it dissipated slowly into ash still bellowing and roaring in a mixture of fury and agony.

The ruins of Las Noches appeared on the twilit horizon. All three disappeared into shunpo and flash-stepped quickly across dune after dune to their destination. Masaru, Hikari, and Akane stood in between the domes and five towers of the palaces of Las Noches. The towers stood erected hundreds of feet into the sky.

Masaru quickly whispered a spell to conceal their reiatsu and they cautiously approached the base of a tower. They quietly entered the pearl-white tower and hid in a row of columns as two Fraccions entered the entrance hall. They passed through oblivious to the shinigami's presence and departed down a corridor. Masaru pulled Hikari back into the cover of the columns as Ryuu entered the hall. Ryuu paused as he reached the center of the hall and his eyes scanned the rows upon rows of columns. Satisfied, he continued on and disappeared after his Fraccion.

Hikari stepped out from behind the pillars and slowly peered into the room Ryuu had come from. She found it empty and signaled for Akane and Masaru to follow her. The room stood devoid of anything accept some raised platforms and a marble throne sat atop the platform in the back of the hall. Masaru narrowed his eyes in fury as he remembered the throne's former owner. "Hado 88: Hiryūgekizokushintenraihō!" A massive bolt of lightning burst from his palm and soared across the room and struck the marble throne blasting it to bits in the enormous explosion. A column exploded and crumbled down and collapsed to the platform behind the ruined throne.

A man with neck-length snow white hair sonidoed in beside the ruined throne. He spared a glance at the rubble, "You ruined my seat," he said, "Guests nowadays are so rude."

Masaru returned to reality and apologized, "I'm sorry seeing it just brought back memories."

"Of Lord Aizen?" he asked.

"Don't speak his name," snarled Masaru.

"Oh, have I reached a touchy subject?" asked the Espada.

"But where are my manners," continued the man, "My name is Takahiro Satoru, Espada Uno of the New Order."

"I'm Captain Yagami Masaru of Squad 14," replied Masaru.

"The shinigami established another squad?" asked Satoru, "How quaint."

Nine more Espada sonidoed into the room on their respective platforms. "It appears that we have guests my brothers, and sister," said Satoru sparing a glance at the red-haired woman. Hikari's attention focused on the woman and the woman returned her stare piercing through her stare, the emerald irises burning into the depths of her soul.

"What should we do with them?" Satoru asked the others.

"Let's kill them and take them back to Soul Society to make an example of the shinigami," said another Espada with a jet black tattoo of a four covering the left half of his face.

"I like that idea Takeshi," said Satoru.

"But first how about their executioners introduce themselves," said the woman, "I'm Kiyomi, Espada Quintos."

"I'm Takeshi," said the man with the facial tattoo, "Espada Cuatro." He flashed the left side of his face again.

Another jumped down to greet the three placing a hand on the guard of his Zanpaktou, "I'm Caius, Espada Sexta. He peered around Masaru, "Well, well if it isn't the girl from four years ago. How's that left eye treating you?" he asked with a smirk.

"Want me to take one of yours?" snarled Hikari.

"Feisty as always," said Caius.

Another Espada sonidoed behind Akane; she turned to find a man of average height with short, spikey blonde hair, "I am Ryota, Espada Tres." He turned around to display the black '3' on his neck.

"I am Mamoru, Espada Sientos," said another man.

A thin boy with dark blue hair stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the room, "I'm Yuudai, Espada Ochoto," he said.

"I'm Yuudai, Espada Nuevo," said a small and gaunt man with long purple hair tied into a ponytail.

"And I am Raiden, Espada Diez," said the last Espada. He stood towering over Hikari, Akane and Masaru glowering down at them.

"And now you die shinigami," said Satoru and he unsheathed his sword.

"Masaru smirked and said, "Not today." He held out his palm pointing it at the floor, "Bakudo 21: Sekieton!" A small blast resounded through the hall and red smoke plumed up from the scorched floor shrouding Hikari, Masaru and Akane inside its thick blanket.

Satoru bellowed, "Get them!"

Masaru flash-stepped out of the gathering hall after Hikari and Akane. Takeshi sonidoed out into the entrance hall to block their path, "Just where do you think you're going?" he asked, "I still haven't gotten to kill you." He unsheathed his Zanpaktou and sprang forward clashing blades with Masaru. Masaru countered and slapped the blade aside and roared as more Fraccion entered from the connected corridors, "Massacre your foes, Kurai Koka!"

He continued, "Slash through their flesh!" The blades spun like saw blades and he hurled them at two groups of Fraccion. All of them crumpled slain with blood pooling out of their wounds, even a few limbs ay scattered around them. Takeshi raced at Masaru and jumped into the air and spun to keep his balance as the blades past under him barely. Masaru quickly chanted the spell for gargantuans and yelled, "Keikaigi!" A gargantuan ripped open in the center of the room and the three hurriedly disappeared inside and it slammed shut behind them.

Takeshi was red with rage at his prey escaping his wrath. He whirled on the closest Fraccion and sliced his head from his neck. His friend cringed in horror as he fell. Takeshi's furious gaze fell on him next, "You gotta problem?" he yelled.

Takeshi didn't even give him time to respond. The air crackled with energy and a red Cero ray pulverized the Fraccion from his palm.

Satoru sonidoed into the chamber, "Calm down Takeshi! We still need them," he said.

Takeshi sheathed his sword and Satoru opened a gargantuan, "I think it's time to pay Soul Society a visit," he said.

**X**

A gargantuan tore open the air on front of the Squad 1 Barracks. The doors slid open and Genryuusai stepped out to greet them, "Your report?" he asked calmly.

"Captain-commander, there are ten Espada once more and they have hundreds of Fraccions at their disposal," replied Masaru.

"Hundreds?" asked the captain-commander in surprise.

"Hundreds," replied Masaru, "They must have discovered a new technique to evolve the Adjuchas faster."

"That may be," said Genryuusai.

He summoned a messenger, "Rally every shinigami! The enemy can arrive at our doorstep at any moment. Seireitei is to be put on high alert," he said.

The messenger relayed the message to several others and they dispersed out amongst Seireitei.

Yamamoto looked up into the sky, "It appears that they have already arrived," he said to the three.

Masaru looked up into the sky above Seireitei and ten gargantuans ripped open in the air.

**X**

Satoru said loudly to every Arrancar, "Now the real fight begins!"

**A/N:** Fin! Ha-ha got you classic bleach episode style where they cut the best part off -_-'! Oh well, I have an important announcement though about the story. I felt that I would interrupt the coming battle and over the course of the next three chapters I am going to take a chapter for each of the main characters of Squad 14! Chapter 4 is already written down and is being typed as you presumably read this. Warning: Ending may contain surprises! :3

P.S. I know Espada 2 isn't revealed in this chapter. To be honest I was having difficulty with what he should look like and stuff so he will be revealed in chapter 7! 


	4. Memoirs of the Past

Memoirs of the Past

**XX 10 Years Ago XX**

Masaru awoke in a small bed with a painted bamboo headboard. He slid open the screen door to leave his room and cautiously peered down the dark corridor. He saw his mother with another man. He had silky brown hair running down to the nape of his neck. He squinted into the darkness and made a Shihakusho. The base of a white haori flashed into the moonlight as the man's attention focused on him.

He stepped out into the moonlight and some of the starlight reflected off the lens of his glasses. "And just what are you doing out of bed at this hour?" he asked with a friendly smile.

"Sosuke," warned his mother.

"Oh please Azuela, he won't remember I was here come morning," replied Aizen.

"The captain Aizen?" exclaimed the tiny Masaru in excitement.

"Great," replied Azuela sullenly, "Now he's going to tell Kamar you were here."

Aizen patted Masaru on the head and smiled, "You won't tell Kamar I was here will you? Let's keep this a secret between us, okay?" he asked.

"Of course captain!" he quietly whispered to him as if trying not to wake Kamar.

"You will make a fine student at Shinou one day," he said still smiling at the young boy.

"Maybe after I graduate I can join your squad!" he said in excitement.

"Why of course, you would make a fine member of Squad 5," replied Aizen.

Azuela smiled at her son and Aizen now quietly conversing between them.

**XX 2 Years Later XX**

"Hado 31: Shakkaho!" yelled Masaru. His jet black hair flew about in his face as he released the spell and the red energy shot fifty meters before striking the center of the target and blasting it to bits with ease.

"He hit it on his first try!" exclaimed Renji standing beside Captain Byakuya.

"He's a natural," the captain replied.

Hikari walked up to her three targets and rapidly fired all three red fire cannon shots and nailed the center of every target except the last but still managed to blast it in half. Ikkaku stood up and barked at the students, "Get with your partners and spar!"

Masaru turned to Hikari and taunted, "Ready to get beaten down again?"

"That was a cheap shot last time," she pouted.

"A true warrior must be prepared for-" he began.

Hikari sprang forward and drew her sword clashing with Masaru's now drawn Zanpaktou. "Prepared for that?" she asked smirking.

"Just barely," he replied. He shoved her back with the flat of his blade and sprang forward quickly putting her own the defensive. She deflected every strike with grace and countered with intense speed and ferocity driving Masaru back a few feet to create some space. Both watched each other's moves carefully and Masaru vanished into a flash-step in a fraction of a second and reappeared behind Hikari already slashing for her exposed back. She instinctively threw her blade behind her to block the attack .

"He's almost as fast as me," said Byakuya watching their bout with renewed interest.

Masaru vanished into a flash-step again and reappeared above her. Hikari nimbly twisted and blocked his attack. Masaru grunted in frustration and yelled, "Hado 13: White Lightning!" A bolt of pure white lightning released from his fingertips and soared for Hikari's exposed chest. She twirled her blade and deflected the bolt off it into the sky. "So you want to play with Kido?" she taunted, "Okay I will play."

Masaru didn't give her the chance to chant an incantation, "Hado 31: Shakkaho!" Red energy flashed into existence and Hikari vanished in the blast. The smoke cleared and Hikari stood unscathed with a barrier of energy in front of her. Masaru sprinted forward and shattered the barrier with a swift slash of his Zanpaktou. "Hado 4: Byakurai!" she cried. A fork of pale lightning streamed off of her fingertips and burned a small hole into Masaru's left shoulder. He landed a few feet away clutching at the wound before growling in fury. He flash-stepped multiple times in a flurry of attacks. Hikari deflected every single one with ease.

She flash-stepped forward and knocked Masaru out of shunpo and he tumbled across the training grounds. By now, everyone had quit their own match and focused on the fight between Hikari and Masaru. Masaru jumped to his feet and blocked Hikari's vicious chop as she leapt across the training yard. He delivered a swift kick into her stomach and sent her somersaulting through the air. Masaru flash-stepped forward and spin kicked her into the ground. Hikari landed on both feet and uppercutted Masaru before he landed. He flew across the training grounds again and Byakuya watched the two fly back and forth across the grounds like a ping pong match.

Masaru flash-stepped forward and released two spells, "Hado 31: Shakkaho!" Hikari dodged the spell barely. Aizen flash-stepped into the courtyard as he released the last of the two. "Hado 13: White Lightning!" A bolt of snow-white lightning coiled around his fingertips and split into two separate shots in a fraction of a second before recombining and striking Hikari's blade with redoubled strength. Hikari crashed through the wall separating the training grounds from the street.

Captain Aizen walked out onto sparring area and placed his left hand on Masaru's shoulder as Hikari entered through the massive hole in the wall fuming. "That's quite enough you two. We don't need you raging across Rukongai," said Aizen.

Byakuya stared lost in thought at Masaru and Aizen, "Their similarities are impeccable," he whispered to himself.

Aizen praised them both for their skills especially Masaru leaving him grinning as he departed with Lieutenant Hinamori.

**XX 4 Years Later XX**

Masaru unsheathed his Zanpaktou and slashed vertically upward through a giant Hollow's mask. "I think you are ready to join a squad," said Hisagi.

"You too," he added at Hikari who had slain the Hollow's companion.

They returned to Soul Society and Genryuusai was waiting with all of the other captains in the entrance courtyard of Shinou. Byakuya and Hitsugaya stood come what close to one another keeping a wary eye on Captain Aizen. Masaru walked down the line with Hikari and another student trailing behind. Genryuusai slammed his staff onto the dais to quiet the gathered students and shinigami. Silence spread instantaneously throughout the crowd.

"We have three students gathered here today before us whoa ready to graduate from Shinou and join a respective squad of the Gotei 13," he said.

"Who will vouch for Kyaro Hikari?" asked Genryuusai.

Captain Zarachi stepped forward out of line, "I think she has what it takes to become a member of Squad 11. 3rd Seat Madarame Ikkaku vouches or you girl, so will I."

Hikari bowed to Kenpachi, "You must know I will want to fight you once we get back to the barracks," said Kenpachi grinning.

"Good then I will get a chance to kick a captain's ass," she replied as they departed outside of the gates.

Kuchiki Akane, step forward," commanded the captain-commander.

Byakuya stepped out of line instantly, "I vouch for Akane to join Squad 6," he said with his usual stoic mask. Akane vanished with Byakuya outside of Shinou.

Masaru watched her mane of auburn hair disappear outside the gate before turning back to face Genryuusai. "Yagami Masaru, step forward," ordered Genryuusai.

Aizen stepped forward, "I vouch for-" he said before getting cut off by Toushiro Hitsugaya.

"I think Yagami-kun should join the Kido Corp," said Hitsugaya, "His powers in Kido could rival Captain Byakuya's.

Genryuusai said quietly, "Then it's decided."

Masaru glanced at Aizen who was staring at Hitsugaya in cold fury. He looked ready to strike him down on the spot.

**XX 4 Years Later XX**

~Yagami Manor~

The full moon glistened across the waters of the koi pond in the center of the garden. Masaru walked out into the garden to see his mother sitting silently beside the pond. Twin tears trailed down her cheek and she looked up at her son. "Aizen-sama left Soul Society today. He said something about the greater good and that he wished he could have taken us with him," she said.

"Why would he leave? And why would he take us?" he asked bewildered.

"H-He decided that I should finally tell you," she said.

"Tell me what?" asked Masaru.

"Haven't you ever wondered why you look so similar and your powers are similar in nature?" she asked.

"So," he replied.

"So," she continued, "Well I'm surprised you never came to this conclusion before, he thought you would."

"Just tell me already," he snapped in irritation.

"S-Sosuke Aizen is your father!" she said.

**X**

Masaru woke up screaming his head off and jumped out of bed garbed only in his hakama. "HADO 31: SHAKKAHO!" he screamed. Red energy blasted a hole in the side of their room and he threw open the sliding door and knelt by the koi pond. Akane peered out the whole, "Really? Again?" she said half to herself. She slipped her magenta robe on and stepped out into the garden and placed a hand on Masaru's shoulder.

"Was it the dreams again?" she asked, "Were they of _him_?"

Masaru nodded silently and twin tears trickled down his check as the rain fell, "It's just the rain," he said to himself quietly. The rain cascaded down on his face as more followed the other two.

**A/N: Mwhahaha surprised? I wanted to add something else but I couldn't because I haven't seen Aizen die yet or where so I will add the memory later. Btw I made the ending so sad…I like it. Hoped you like Chapter 5 might take a bit because Lieutenant Hikari is writing it **


	5. The Girl With One Eye

Well, okay. This is Redtheamazing and Hikari here. TheSinnerWithin actually let us write this chapter so it was kind of fun torturing Hikari in this chapter.

H: you suck so hard….

Red: Whatever… Anyways… ON WITH THE STORY!

Disclaimer: I only own Hikari T-T

/

-Age 7-

Hikari hid in the tree; away from the hell and blood below her. She looked up through the gap in the tree's branches.

"This place is a hell hole…" She muttered before she felt a small rock hit her leg. She looked down and scowled at the old man who was down there.

"Oi, woman! Get down here, now!" He yelled, even though he was drunk off his ass. He used to be nice, but that all changed when her mother was murdered. After that, everything went downhill from there. He started to get drunk and beat her.

"Go to hell…" She muttered, as she looked back to the clear sky. She felt another rock hit her in the face.

"Get your ass down her NOW!" He was furious now. She sighed, no use pissing him off anymore.

When she was in his reach; he grabbed her by her hair and slammed her into the muddy ground below. She screamed and kicked and thrashed under his hold. Finally, he shoved her face into the mud before he let her go and stumbled off, leaving her in the dirt.

Her anger flared.

A burst of reiatsu knocked him onto his feet and into the mud. She got up, and walked over to where he lay and stared at his pained face.

No… not pained… Scared… He was finally scared of her… She smirked.

He was supposed to be a strong man, but that look was the moment that ruined his reputation.

"You deserve to die…" She grabbed a rock and raised it over her head. She brought it down on to his skull, loving the sound of it cracking.

"_Have fun in hell…"_

-Age 14-

She sat in her seat, leaning back into the chair. She was clad in her new uniform. She liked the red, but not the white part of it. She scowled, 'I hate bright colors...'

She was staring out the window when a boy came up to her and sat right next to her. She looked at him for a couple seconds before looking back outside. She caught a glimpse of his scarf.

Silk.

Damn nobles... Stuck up ass-holes...

But, then why was he sitting next to her? Nobody had the guts to sit next to her... She was called a monster for a reason.

She looked at him again and smirked, "You've got balls..." He looked at her, slightly confused.

"Excuse me?"

"A lot of people don't really like me..." She looked at him with a smirk, "People always avoid me."

"Masaru Yagami" He said out of the blue. Hikari laughed.

"You last name is 'I'm a gay'?" She laughed at his embarrass and shocked face.

"And your name?" She slowed her laughs down to a chuckle.

"Hikari."

_What a beautiful friendship..._

-Age 17-

This in the World of the living. Blood was sprayed everywhere, and the sounds of desperate roars of hollows filled the air. Hikari smirked at the sounds and turned to Ikkaku who was fighting his own fights.

"Hurry up, we gotta more hollows to kill." Ikkaku landed right next to her and glared at her.

"You're fucking pushy, woman." She smirked.

"I know." She smiled at him.

"Well, isn't this exciting!" They both turned to the owner of the voice, but only saw a blur of purple past their eyes. The blur of purple put a hand on Ikkaku and sent him to a wall.

"Ikkaku!" Hikari screamed and tried to run to Ikkaku, but the purple blur grabbed her face and slammed her into a tree.

"You will be perfect for my prototype."

He put his hand up to Hikari's left eye only to be slammed into by Ikkaku. This action caught him off guard, which gave him enough reaction time to kill him. He lunged his hand towards Ikkaku's abdomen, but when his hand was stopped by Hikari pushing him back. She glared at him with Ikkaku behind her.

Ikkaku stared at Hikari. Her shoulders were shaking; she was scared. Hikari; the girl who took down a hundred hollows in a row, was scared. She was never scared! But this was different, right?

"Well..." The purple blur started, "I guess I should introduce myself. I am Caius, and you-" he pointed to Hikari,"- I want your eye. You have seen so much in the past in such short time. Your hands and your hands are soaked in blood. It's perfect for my prototype!" He laughed, as Ikkaku stepped in front of Hikari. Sweat dripped down Hikari's temple and down her jaw line.

"Step away, Ikkaku..." He looked at her.

"There is no way you can take this guy on!" He yelled at her. She didn't even flinch.

"Move. Now." She looked at him as if nothing was wrong.

"He's fucking psycho!" He yelled. This time, she cringed.

"Please," she pleaded. That was not like her, to plead and get all sensitive about fighting. What was going on with her? Was he doing something to her? In a distance, a hollows roar could be heard. " There are still some roaming hollows out there." She stated. Every time she tried to do stuff on her own, there is always something else going on around her. Technically, she was always right about the stuff going on around her.

And that pissed him off.

"You better come back." He snarled at her as a warning. She smiled

"Of course..." She said. He glared at Caius before using shunpo to get away from Hikari. Hikari sighed and turned towards Caius only to find him right in front of her.

"Shall we start again?" He grabbed her face and slammed her down into the ground below. Memories of being abused by her father came rushing back, as she screamed and thrashed and kicked.

Only this time she knew this wasn't going to end the same was it did years ago.

Caius smirked, "Now, now. Let's not do that..." He stuck his finger into her eye socket; making her left eye pop out. She screamed and- for the first time in her life- let tears fall from her right eye. This was not like her to be scared of anything. She was a fourth seat in Squad Eleven; the toughest squad in all of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

This was pathetic.

"Now, see! That wasn't too bad, now was it?" He stuck her eye into a pouch and brought out a red stone that seemed to glow.

A Hollow's eye.

"See? Imma nice guy! I'm replacing your taken eye!" He shoved it into her left socket. More pain seeped through out her body as she screamed.

He wiped his bloody hands on his pants and looked at Hikari. She laid there on the ground; her chest moving up and down at a rapid pace.

He waved his hand at her, "Have a nice night." And with that, he was gone.

Blood now ran out of her left eye.

A replacement for regular tears.

She felt Ikkaku's spiritual pressure coming towards her.

Maybe she should have let him stay by her. Then none of this would have happened.

"Hikari!" He yelled as he called for a back up team. She looked at him and smirked.

"First mission: Failure." She laughed, but only coughed. The moment the backup team arrived, she was passed out.

"_Are you happy now, dad?"_

8

Monitors beeped at the slightest movement of her heart. It was a perfect beat, which calmed him down.

Ikkaku sat in the chair by the door, carving a sharp piece of wood with a knife.

She was different now. She didn't know what to do; she didn't know how to react to certain things anymore.

She was lost.

This new eye made her scared to fight. After Captain Unohana explained to her the side effects, she just wanted to quit all together.

Ikkaku sat there, looking at her. She laid there on her side, staring out of the window.

"Hikari, you need to eat."

"Not hungry."

"Bull shit."

"Fuck off."

"Eat something."

"You eat it, I'm not hungry."

"Eat. Now!" Ikkaku yelled. Hikari sat there, motionless.

"No." Ikkaku groaned in frustration.

"Do you want to die!" Hikari turned to him, angry.

"Yes! Yes, I do! My eye is a part of a hollow!" He stared at her. Her left eye was covered with bandages; which were due for a changing. She had been crying and her left eye was spilling blood.

"Then get revenge!" She stared at him, "Take all of your anger out on him, and not yourself!" She closed her visible eye, and smiled.

"I can't cause I don't want to be like I was years ago." She looked at her hands, "I am covered in blood from head to toe. I killed my father and my friends. I thought if I could join Squad Eleven, I would be able to control my anger and hate. It worked, but now that I have this hollow's eye, I don't know what to do."

"You work harder, that's what you do." Ikkaku said, "You train harder, never give up." He walked up to her, "Tell you what, I'll teach you Bankai and I'll help you learn how to control that new eye of yours." She smiled.

"Alright."

"_Smile like it's your last day. Because it could be you last"_

8

Hikari's eyes opened slowly. She was home. In the safety of her apartment in Squad Fourteen's barracks.

She sat up, as the blankets fell off of her. Scars cascaded her body as she got up and walked to the balcony.

"My life is full of wonders." Two wolves walked up to her. They were almost as tall as her, and both were different. One was white with a black right ear, the other was black with a white left ear.

"Sorry, bad dream." She looked out to the starry sky.

"_I will find you, and I WILL kill you."_

/

Well, that took me forever to write! I am totally sorry for the lack of awesomeness; I tried really hard to be very detailed on the part where she loses her eye.

Hikari: You made me seem that I like Ikkaku.

Red: But you do.

Hikari: *blushes* No I don't!

Red: Whatever. Please Review!


	6. The Child In The Storm

The Child in the Storm

The wind whistled through the branches of the cherry trees. Petals danced in the breeze and landed softly on the plush grass and tangled in the auburn locks of Akane's hair and to the fabric of her Shihakusho. Thinking back now she could see it so clearly.

XX18 Years AgoXX

Rain cascaded down onto the slick dirt trail cutting through the lush, overgrown forest. A woman slipped on the slick mud and quickly shielded the child she was carrying with her cloak from a blast of mud spurting out from under her. A strange whistling echoed through the forest and the woman cried in terror hurrying towards the edge of the forest. Lightning struck a tree behind her and the child began to cry loudly.

Flames sparked to life and danced at the base of the tree enveloping the trunk in seconds. The woman burst through the brush and raced across the rolling grasslands towards the top of a hill where a manor stood. The dark silhouette of a man stood burned into the air on the edge of a forest and disappeared in another frenzied burst of lightning.

The woman quickly traversed the remaining space between her and the front gates of the manor. She pounded on the gates in panic with the metal door knockers. She slammed it into the gate one last time and placed the basket under the protection of the terra cotta overhang from the storm and fled disappearing into the thick blanket of rain.

The dull thud still echoed throughout the manor's grounds and the gates were flung open revealing a rain-soaked Byakuya standing in the downpour. He searched through the blanket of rain for anyone and turned to close the gates but his gaze fell on the basket lying on the ground. He unsheathed his zanpaktou and flicked the blanket off exposing the small child protected inside. He jumped back in alarm at the sleeping girl.

"Scatter-" he began chanting. Hisane stood behind him screeching in fury, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IT'S A CHILD!"

His cheeks flushed for a moment and he sheathed his blade back at his waist. She glared at him still seething with fury and gently plucked the child up out of the basket and held it at her shoulder. She said quietly to him, "I think it's mother abandoned it."

Byakuya growled in frustration at his wife's pleading face, "Fine," he grumbled, "We will take the child as our own."

He spun on his heel and headed back for the manor with Hisane right behind him hurrying through the rain protecting the child from the elements. The gates slammed shut behind him and two guards quickly opened the entry doors to the manor and they ducked inside to the warm indoor air. He turned down a corridor and slid open a door at the end of it and closed it behind him. Hisane took the child into the small bedroom next to theirs and neatly tucked it under the covers, "Good night little one," she whispered.

She slid the door shut behind her and Akane's eyes slid shut falling into the well of darkness of sleep.

~Next Morning~

Akane's icy eyes flickered open to reveal a strange room she hadn't seen before. She jumped out of the plush bed and got to her feet quickly. She slid the door silently open and raced down the corridor. She saw no one in the entry hall and turned to head for the front doors when she noticed two unobservant guards standing by the doors. She quickly bolted across the front room and headed down another corridor. She saw an open doorway leading out to one of the manor's many gardens.

A servant strode inside and caught sight of her, "And just who are you little one?" he asked merrily. She didn't respond and sidestepped past his efforts to catch her and raced out into the garden. She cautiously stepped out onto the honeylocust grass and watched the koi in the pond swim harmoniously in circles. Byakuya stood on the other side of the pond already garbed in his Shihakusho and captain's haori, "Aren't you up early," he said quietly glancing up at her.

She glared at him and pulled out a small kunai from within her kimono and charged him. He partially unsheathed Senzonbakura to deflect the clumsy strike and let it fall back into place in its sheath as she stumbled back. "It's quite rude to try to kill someone who provided you shelter, especially to attack a noble," he said monotonously.

"W-where am I?" she asked in bewilderment.

"Kuchiki Manor; I am Byakuya. We found you out in the storm last night by the entry gates to the manor. Apparently you were abandoned so we decided to take you in as our own child," replied Byakuya calmly.

"We?" she asked.

"Yes, my wife has a weakness for children in need," he said.

"W-well thank you for taking me in Byakuya-taichou," she said quietly.

XX10 Years LaterXX

Akane unsheathed her Zanpaktou and slashed for the girl's neck. The large boy next to her noticed her coming just in time to shove her out of the way. Her blade sliced through his chest and blood spurted from the wound and spattered on the pavement. He fell to one knee grimacing in pain. The red-haired girl cried out in terror, "SADO-KUN!"

Sado glanced up at Akane calmly and waited for her to finish it. She smiled arrogantly and pointed the tip of her blade menacingly at his throat barely nicking the flesh to cause a slow trickle of blood. "You shouldn't have come her ryoka boy," she said laughing at his powerlessness.

Sado surprised her by looking up into her eyes and snarled defiantly, "We came here with one objective in mind, to save our friend and we're not leaving without her."

The smile slid off her face and sorrow plagued her voice, "There's nothing you can do for her now, Genryuusai won't change his mind about her execution."

Inoue stepped forward out of the protection of the alleyway, "How can you stand there and do nothing about it? It's obvious from the emotion in your voice that she is a close friend," she said.

"You think I haven't tried? She's family of course I have. My father forbade me from trying anything else; he says that he doesn't want any more dishonor to fall on the Kuchiki House," she replied.

Sado interrupted, "Byakuya is your father?"

"Yes, what of it?" she asked staring him down.

"N-nothing," he said trying to put on his best false smile.

Byakuya flash-stepped into the street behind Akane, "Why haven't you apprehended them?" he asked.

"I was just getting to it," she replied quietly.

She raised her sword again at Sado, "Unfortunately for you two, it's my duty as a Shinigami to take you into custody," she said.

Sado quickly jumped to his feet and released a blast of energy from his already transformed right arm. Akane flash-stepped out of harm's way and reappeared in front of him her sword already swinging for his throat. "Santen Kesshun!" screamed Inoue. A bright wall of orange energy deflected the blow and prevented Akane from attacking Sado.

Akane turned her attention on Inoue and ran at her holding her sword high above her head. She brought the blade crashing down and Ichigo leapt down from the rooftop and intercepted the attack with his own blade. "Another ryoka? You multiple in mere seconds," she cried out in disbelief.

Ichigo managed a grin before shoving her back with brute force. He flared his reiatsu to try to intimidate her and she raised an eyebrow in inquiry, "You are pretty strong. I guess I' going to have to release my Zanpaktou for this fight," she said with a smirk spreading across her lips.

Ichigo stepped back as she released her shikai, "Slice through the sea, Oshankingu!" The blade eroded down to a thin, long strip of metal at least fifteen feet long and the guard remained the same. Ichigo cackled with laughter at the wimpy-looking shikai.

"It appears that you seem to underestimate me," said Akane her voice brimming with rage. She snapped her hilt and the blade struck Ichigo's own. Sparks poured off Ichigo's blade and hers started to easily cut through the thick, hard metal of Ichigo's zanpaktou. Ichigo quickly pulled his zanpaktou away from Akane's and examined it in a few seconds. Akane turned to him laughing, "Shall we resume?"

Ichigo snarled and flung himself forward he released a burst of energy from his zanpaktou and Akane dodged it narrowly letting it slice off several locks of her hair. "That was a cheap shot," she mock pouted.

Ichigo casually sliced for her and she swatted the blow aside. She pressed the teardrop jewel into the pommel and water gushed out around the guard and cannoned off in a swirling torrent at Ichigo. He disappeared under the storm of rushing water and Inoue watched in horror as more and more cascaded out and enveloped him. She felt his reiatsu start to grow faint and panicked. Then his blade suddenly exploded out of the raging water and plunged into her stomach. She cried out in pain and spat a mall mouthful of blood into the water before pulling herself free from the blade.

She steadied herself and snarled in fury, "Bankai!" The water froze over stuck in time and then started to ascend into the sky. Sado quickly fired another blast of energy from his fist and knocked Akane off of her feet sending her tumbling down the street and crashing through the wall of a building. Ichigo shouted at the others as he met Byakuya's furious gaze, "LET'S GO!" The three ryoka raced down the alley and headed back down into the maze of roads. Byakuya began to unsheathe his zanpaktou and then let it fall back into place he flash-stepped over to Akane and helped her up. She used her left hand to apply pressure to her wound and asked, "Aren't we going after them?" she asked.

"No," replied Byakuya softly, "Let's get you to Unohana."

XX2 Years LaterXX

Akane stood beside Masaru hugging him comfortingly as he stared after the receding Cross Seal in shock. He watched the large metal doors to the prison close behind the squad of guards and Urahara's attention pivoted to him and he gave Masaru a sad smile and flash-stepped away.

Masaru listened to the gate's locking mechanisms click and turn before sealing completely and he turned away. Masaru's eyes brimmed with flames of fury and Akane followed him cautiously thinking to herself, "He's never going to forget him ever. He's always going to know where his father is locked away and who put him that way."

She kissed him softly to reassure him and they continued down the road.

Masaru's sight flickered back to the prison for a second, "I'll be back one day," he vowed quietly to himself.


	7. Bittersweet Revenge

Bittersweet Revenge

**A/N: This chapter is mainly going to focus on the fight between Caius and Hikari, but it might randomly break away from the fight to the beginnings of the other Soul Reaper's fights. Oh and Masaru's fight will also be featured towards the end too.**

The Espada stood hovering in the air staring down their Shinigami opponents. Hikari pushed through the crowd and strode forward to Caius. He gave a sly smirk and his hand reached down for his Zanpaktou in a feint. He quickly raised his palm back up and fired a Gran Rey Cero at her. She nimbly flash-stepped to the side avoiding the deadly energy and swung quickly at Caius' exposed chest. He brought up his forearm and deflected her blow shoving her back.

Caius unsheathed his zanpaktou and charged her coming in at her right side while viciously slashing for her hip. She blocked his aggressive assault blow by blow and swiftly counterstruck with a jab at his heart. The blade pierced through his hierro only slightly and a small stream of blood trickled down his chest. Caius laughed, "You pierced my hierro? Maybe you are worth my time."

Hikari flash-stepped behind him and Caius grasped her blade with his bare hand and threw her down back towards Seireitei. She crashed through the terra cotta tile roof and coughed dust and quickly jumped out of the hole in the roof. Caius already stood waiting and delivered a fierce kick to her abdomen. Hikari grunted in pain as the air rushed out of her lungs and she crashed through the wall of the Squad 14 barracks.

Caius strode in through the crowd of dust and cackled with insane bouts of laughter, "You're going to have to release your zanpaktou if you hope to stand any chance against me."

Hikari looked up and gave him a feral smile, "Chisel, Paradasu." Her blade chiseled down and the guard eroded and wisps of black reiatsu wrapped the bottom of the blade in black leather. She jumped up and slashed viciously at Caius' throat with her shikai.

He deflected the blow narrowly off of the edge of his blade and slashed again and again forcing her back into a corner. She quickly stabbed under his guard and a dull shrieking sound came as sparks flashed off the tip of her blade and her shikai finally passed through his hierro sinking into his stomach. Caius pulled himself off of her blade and his spare hand applied pressure on his wound. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the wood floor and gasped at her, "What did you do to my hierro you bitch?"

"My shikai chisels for a reason; Paradasu's true power is to chisel through any barrier so that I can get at my opponent. So your hierro is meaningless in protection now," she replied with a fiendish smirk.

Caius snarled in fury and struck a powerful punch at her chest. Hikari gasped in surprise and crashed through several walls lying in a sprawled heap in a pile of rubble. Hikari dove to the side as a purple Cero flashed to life and burned a gaping hole through the outer wall behind her. Hikari flash-stepped and brought her sword crashing down on his own doubling him over. She forced his blade closer and closer to his throat until he let out a fierce roar and reiatsu blasted her off of him and she smashed through the ceiling. She looked around the empty corridor and knew she was around the seated officer's quarters.

Caius hovered quietly up through the hole in the floor with rays of violet reiatsu still swirling around him. He sprinted forward and slashed at her while she was still trying to regain herself. Hikari ducked under the swipe and drove all of her power behind a single punch sending him flying off his feet and through the roof of the barracks.

Hikari flash-stepped up to the roof and watched Caius plummet into the courtyard with a look of smug satisfaction. Her attention flickered up into the sky where the battle was just beginning to start above Seireitei. She smiled as Lieutenant Omaeda fell out of the sky and smashed through the Squad 2 barracks. She watched one of Takeshi's Fraccion fire off a Cero after him to ensure the job was done. Her attention flickered back to the fallen Sexta Espada and she found the courtyard empty below aside from a deep crater in the center.

"Shit," she whispered. Caius appeared behind her and ran her through with his blade until the entire blade had disappeared and the guard pressed against her back. Hikari stared down in horror at the blood-soaked blade protruding from her chest and let out a faint cry as Caius pulled it free. She slumped forward collapsing and Caius kicked her in the ribs. She rolled forward and tumbled over the side of the roof striking the stone courtyard below hard.

She stabbed her blade into the stone and helped herself get to her feet. Caius stared down at her, "You fought well shinigami, but in the end you just weren't good enough."

"Don't count me out yet," she snarled in fury. She snatched her eye patch off and gave him a fierce look, "Bankai!" Her red eye glowed amongst the storm of reiatsu and the white and black energy pulsated into the sky attracting the attention of everyone fighting above.

Masaru smiled at Takeshi, "Looks like my lieutenant's getting serious finally. Sexta might be in trouble."

"And what do I care of Caius," he replied with a frown, "Prepare yourself!" He disappeared into sonido and appeared behind Masaru. Masaru turned and fired a Kido, "Hado 4: Byakurai!" A pale bolt of lightning flew from Masaru's fingertips and burned a small hole in the center of Takeshi's chest. He stood there in shock and a small rasp escaped his throat before he croaked in hatred, "Damn you shinigami!"

"For the Cuatro Espada, I expected more from you," said Masaru with a smirk. He brought his zanpaktou to bear and raised it for the final blow.

"You seem to underestimate me _captain_," replied Takeshi. Masaru flash-stepped as a giant Cero flashed into existence and pulverized a group of Fraccion gathered behind Masaru.

"Is that all?" taunted Masaru.

Takeshi snarled in animalistic fury and his reiatsu exploded knocking everyone off of their feet save Genryuusai and Satoru. The two stared at each other calmly, "If the old Espada couldn't win even with Aizen. What makes you think you can?" asked Genryuusai coldly.

"We are far more powerful than the Espada that preceded us," said Satoru with a laugh.

"You seem to have a high opinion of yourselves," replied Genryuusai, "You Espada don't stand a chance."

"We shall see," said Satoru. He sonidoed in front of Genryuusai and slashed diagonally at his torso. Genryuusai dodged the blow and delivered two quick strikes to his chest and Satoru spat out a mouthful of blood before plummeting down into Seireitei. Genryuusai descended slowly hovering at least fifty feet above Satoru crouching on the rooftop. Blue energy crackled and a massive Cero burst from Satoru's hands. Genryuusai laughed and held out a hand carving a path through the Cero to protect himself. The light from the Cero faded and Satoru glanced up in surprise to see Genryuusai standing unharmed.

"It will take more than that to defeat me boy," laughed Genryuusai.

"Oh really?" asked Satoru, "Well then. Resurrecion!"

**X**

The black and white light faded leaving Hikari with two falcate, one black and one white. She disappeared in a flash-step faster than Caius could follow. He barely deflected a blow from the side and then from above. White fire blazed off of the black blade blasting the guard tower off of the barracks. Caius jumped off of the tower just before it struck the courtyard. He scanned through the smoke for any sign of Hikari then fell back as Hikari burst out of the flames taking on the offensive and driving him towards the wreckage.

White and black fire comingled from her blades and doused Caius with their dancing flames. He howled in pain from the fire and fell back into the crater he had left in the center of the courtyard. Hikari laughed insanely, "You brought this on yourself!"

Another Gran Rey Cero flashed at her and her deadly flames held it back until it dissipated. Caius climbed out of the crater with reiatsu swirling around him, "Resurrecion!"

**X**

Masaru cried out over the sound of rushing wind pulsating off of Takeshi's reiatsu storm, "Yukue Fumei No Daka Koka!" He threw his sword into the air and it exploded into green fire. A scythe formed made from bone and a human skull sat at the base of the handle.

Masaru pointed it at Takeshi, "Now you die!" The skull's mouth snapped open and swallowed most of Takeshi's excess reiatsu, "Hado 54: Haien!" Purple fire charged up in its jaws and spat it out in a massive ray of purple flames. Takeshi quickly fired off Gran Rey Cero after another repeatedly in an attempt to stave off the flames. Tendrils of the demonic fire reached him and disintegrated his jacket and started to burn away his flesh.

The flames died away and Takeshi stood there beaten down and scorched from the fire, "So you aren't as dumb as I thought you were. If you wouldn't have released those Ceros your body would have completely disintegrated right on the spot," said Masaru with a smile. Takeshi sonidoed forward and dodged a swift slice from Masaru's bankai and rammed his blade through his chest. Masaru gasped in surprise and fell several hundred feet before crashing through a building his trail of spurting blood followed raining down on the Squad 14 barracks.

Takeshi flash-stepped down to the barracks and stabbed Masaru through the stomach as he got to his feet, blood poured from the wound and he fell into the courtyard about a hundred feet away from Hikari and Caius. Takeshi raised his sword to the sky, "Resurrecion!" His sword dissolved into a cream-like substance and hardened into armor around him. Sharp fins made from bone stood at the elbow and his face was covered like a hammerhead shark. His tail descended from the nape of his neck and his feet were completely covered with razor teeth.

Takeshi laughed, "You stand no chance now shinigami!" Masaru watched in horror at Hikari barely dodging Caius' massive blows. His Resurrecion had formed purple fur around him and he had bone armor protecting most of his body. To Masaru, he resembled a wolf and with each punch from his claw covered fingers a small crater was left in the ground.

Hikari jumped to her feet and slashed a wicked blow across Caius' belly. She spared a glance at Masaru and mouthed, "_It's time!"_

Masaru nodded and they both bellowed at the same time while throwing their swords into the air, "SHUNKAI!"


	8. Shunkai

Shunkai

**A/N: Shunkai is a stage that myself and Lieutenant Hikari created and the idea is Hikari's. Thieves will find out their punishments…oh yes indeed they will :3. Anywho, enjoy the chapter! Akane enters the fight and others from Squad 14 that haven't gotten their spot in the limelight yet.**

Masaru's and Hikari's reiatsus exploded and Takeshi shielded his eyes from the brightness of the energy. The rays vanished into the night air and Takeshi watched in horror as the skull on Masaru's scythe came to live and its eyes glowed with a faint red light. Tendrils of darkness came out of its mouth and formed the creature's cloak.

It reached a bony hand up to the scythe and pulled it free from the skull. Takeshi cringed as the skeleton cackled with maniacal laughter. "What the hell is that?" asked Takeshi bewildered at the bloodthirsty skeleton hovering before him. Masaru replied with a grim smile and the skeleton spoke in a rasp, "Your worst nightmare!"

Takeshi sonidoed aside as the skeleton sprang forward and with a flick of a bony wrist the scythe arced towards him cutting through the air and narrowly missing his hip. A tendril of darkness came off of the skeleton's cloak and a blade formed in Masaru's hands. It was the normal style of a zanpaktou but they guard and hilt were composed of bones.

Masaru flash-stepped behind Takeshi and he attacked as one with his Shunkai. The scythe spat flames from the blade and Takeshi narrowly dodged the lethal fire and found Masaru's blade slicing for his chest. Takeshi stumbled back and a piece of the bone armor encasing his body clattered to the ground. Takeshi was seething with fury and he sprang forward at Masaru fins hacking and slashing dangerously closely to his flesh barely nicking him enough to draw blood.

Masaru blocked a well-aimed stab for his chest and forced him back. Takeshi cursed as he noticed the shadow blocking the moonlight from around him. He turned to find the crimson glow of the Shunkai's eyes and a merciless blade already slashing for the kill.

Takeshi gasped as the blade slashed through his armor and bit deep into his flesh. He pulled himself off it as quick as possible before the deadly flames flickered to life inside of his body. Takeshi quickly slashed at the Shunkai and his blade passed right through its cloak. Masaru smiled coyly as Takeshi struggled as black tendrils crept up his arms and restrained him from escaping. He flash-stepped forward and quickly lunged for Takeshi who struggled against the shadowy restraints binding him in place.

His blade sank square in the center of Takeshi's back. He pulled it free and stabbed him five more times equally spaced apart from one another in a circle. "You are about to experience true pain," warned Masaru with a smile, "I created this Kido myself."

"Hado 99: Kakaru Kasai!" bellowed Masaru. Crimson light poured from the stab wounds and illuminated the entire courtyard in fierce bright light. "Get back," he warned Hikari who was sparring with Caius just a few yards away. She disappeared in a flash-step to put some distance between them. Masaru's blade hummed softly and glowed white hot with heat. Small tendrils of flame coiled out of the stab wounds and danced on the tip of Masaru's sword.

Takeshi snarled in a mixture of pure hatred and pain and charged a massive Cero up in his palm, "Oh I don't think so," said Masaru laughing cruelly. He stabbed his blade into the ground and a column of purple fore consumed Takeshi from the inside out vaporizing him instantly and it swelled into a massive column of magenta flame before falling back down to the ground to be snuffed out by Masaru.

He looked up at his Shunkai, "You fought well today Mujihina shi!"

A smile crept up the Shunkai's jaw and a knowing glance flashed between the two for a moment. The light faded from its eyes and the scythe reattached to the scythe before the darkness faded away into the night. Masaru's sword dissipated into the night sky and his scythe returned to his grasp. He turned to watch Hikari's fight with interest.

**X**

A frown crossed Caius' lips as Takeshi's spiritual pressure was snuffed out in a split second. "Takeshi you fool," he whispered. He deflected a series of quick strikes from Hikari and she jumped back from his counterstrike. He prepared to charge her but recoiled when he found two giant wolves snarling at him.

"Well I guess it's finally time to see whose alpha," he said with a curt laugh baring his sharpened canines.

He sprinted forward and the two wolves charged tackling him from either side. Caius ducked under a vicious swipe from a clawed paw and back flipped over the black wolf charging at him again from behind. He quickly fired off five rapid Ceros and Hikari nimbly dodged them easily. The white wolf opened its jaws and a spray of jet black fire doused Caius. He twisted to the side to avid most of the flames but felt his skin scorch and burn from the heat.

Caius opened his mouth and a ray of energy exploded from it and struck the white wolf straight in the chest. It skirted across the clearing absorbing most of the powerful energy with a quick jet of fire. The black wolf glanced over its shoulder to check on its companion and roared in fury at seeing it injured.

Black flames circled Caius trapping him inside the confines of the small circle. The wall of flames stretched high up into the air. White flames poured in through the hole at the top and cascaded down on Caius like a jungle waterfall. The flames extinguished and Caius was knelt on one knee breathing in rapid rasps. His purple fur was singed and most of his armor had shattered from the heat.

Hikari strode forward and slashed him straight across the chest carving an X-shaped crest deep into his torso. She flicked the blade upward and it sank into the soft, warm flesh of his throat. Blood poured from the wounds and Caius toppled forward. Blood pooled around him and he stared up at Hikari with hatred and fury blazing in his eyes.

"I grow tired of this. Let's end our fight once and for all," she replied quietly. Caius said nothing but spat at her feet. Hikari raised an eyebrow at the obvious lack of respect and flames engulfed him from the wolves once more.

"I think I just proved whose alpha," she said and walked away leaving the battered and beaten Espada there to die.

**X**

The battle had long since been taken down into the streets of Seireitei and blood bathed the walls and streets from Arrancar and Soul Reaper alike. Jun stood back to back with Makoto cutting down Fraccion after Fraccion. Her hair whipped about in the evening breeze and she sprang forward impaling a lone Arrancar through his heart and pulled her zanpaktou free.

Isao jumped down from the rooftops and cut down a survivor from one of Makoto's vicious attacks who was attempting to attack him from behind. "Rip and split, Kuresento!" yelled Isao. His zanpaktou lengthened and morphed into a double-ended sword with crescents in opposite directions as the blades. He raced for a crowd of massing Arrancar and cut a bloody swathe through them all dismembering them and striking them down with flawless finesse.

He returned to his beleaguered squad members, "We have received orders that we are to protect the Squad 4 barracks at all costs," said Isao, "We must hold our ground."

Sakura strode out flicking blood off of her blade and spoke loudly after releasing the hell butterfly on her finger, "As the captain, lieutenant, and third seat are both currently engaging the Espada head-on. I have been placed in temporary command of Squad 14 by Captain Yagami himself."

"Now bolster up our defenses bring the freshest fighters to the frontlines to give a moment of rest to our beleaguered forces- " ordered Sakura.

A man strode through the ranks of the army of Fraccion pushing them aside to clear a path. "I guess you're my opponent then," he said with a feral smile," You do seem to be the most powerful here anyway."

"Then this won't take long," she said with a faint smile. She pointed her zanpaktou at his chest and released it, "Maul, Mimishita!"

Her sword vanished in a brilliant flash of white werelight and two sharp discs with jagged teeth attached to a long chain were within her grasp. Sakura detached the chain and slung it over her shoulders like a scarf. She quickly raced forward and hurled one of the razor sharp discs at him giving him no time to dodge her fierce attacks.

Raiden barely pivoted to his right to avoid taking it full in the chest and it bit into his flesh digging through his hip and colliding into the wall behind him dripping with the Espada's blood. Raiden laughed, "You don't stand a chance," he said noticing she was down a weapon.

"Don't count me out yet," she said with a sly smile. The sound of metal being plucked out of stone filled Raiden's ears and the disc flew and bit through the meat in his shoulder and reemerged out of his chest and returned to Sakura's hand drenched in his blood.

Raiden snarled while clutching his wound, "Annihilate, Isabel!" His zanpaktou exploded in a frenzy of forks of lightning crackling around him. He remerged from the storm fully covered in bonelike-armor that was shaped like millions of tiny bolts of lightning wreathed around his body. Two massive twin bolts coiled up his back and slung over his shoulders like massive cannons.

Sakura quickly dove aside as her worst fears were confirmed and a massive burst of crackling energy surged from his shoulder cannons and struck the spot she had been a split second before. She cursed under her breath and flash-stepped behind him taking aim with her other disc. Her eyes widened in surprise and she stood still like a statue rooted to the ground as the cannons flipped around taking aim at her.

Makoto jumped in front of her and released his zanpaktou, "Electrocute, Ampheres!" His blade morphed into a unique wide and long U-shape with a short sharp spike in the center. More energy poured from the twin cannons and Makoto absorbed the lethal bolts on his blade. Raiden cackled turning around expecting to find her dead but instead got a face full of lightning.

He howled in pain and stumbled backwards. Makoto extinguished the deadly stream. Sakura thanked him quietly, "Thank you." She raced forward on the offensive and threw both discs at Raiden in opposite directions.

Raiden tried to deflect one desperately with his wrist but it cut through the armor encasing it and cut off his right arm at the forearm. The other disc penetrated his stomach and exploded out of his back narrowly missing his spine. Raiden gasped and fell spitting out a mouthful of blood. Sakura stood over him with a grin, "See, what did I tell you." She threw her other disc straight into his throat leaving him spewing pools of blood from his rent throat. The disc flew back to her hand and the two exploded in a flash and returned to the normal form of her zanpaktou.

Makoto pointed his shikai behind her and lightning rippled and charged off of the spike before exploding in a massive surge and pulverizing Raiden stumbling to his feet out of his Resurrecion form and advancing on Sakura with his zanpaktou.

Makoto snuffed out the surge of power and his sword returned to its original state. Sakura whipped around to face Raiden but found no trace of the fallen Espada. Makoto told her, "My shikai completely incinerated him into ash."

Sakura faced him, "How are you unseated?" she asked.

"Bad luck," he replied with a smile.

Makoto and Sakura headed back to the barracks and found their forces being overrun by Fraccions. Jun fought desperately with all her might but her and Isao weren't enough to stave off the Espada's army. Sakura bellowed, "Where the hell is fifth seat Hideaki?" Jun and Isao shrugged until a voice whispered behind Makoto, "Right behind you."

Makoto whirled around to get ran through by Daisuke's zanpaktou. He gasped and slipped into unconsciousness falling off of the blade and collapsing on the ground. Sakura whirled on him with a screech of fury, "TRAITOR!"

Jun strode forward and blocked her path, "He's mine," she said her eyes narrowed to slits at him. Her reiatsu flared and she released her zanpaktou, "Tick away, Teimā jikan!"

Her sword trembled with power and the pocket watch on the pommel of her hilt flipped open and started ticking. "This won't be much of a fight Daisuke," she said with a smile, "Dai ichi dansu!"

The clock flickered and the hand turned to a quarter hour immediately and chimed. Daisuke gasped as his nerves slackened and his sword dropped from his hand. He snarled at Jun, "What is this?"

"Teimā jikan's first dance of death. It causes all nerves to deaden slowly. Momentarily, you will be completely paralyzed aside from your mouth so we can all hear your screams of pain," she said.

Daisuke's eyes widened in surprise as the rest of his body suddenly numbed and he went slack falling to his knees. "Now for the second phase," said Jun, "Let's see how many dances you can survive."

"Dai ni dansu!" she cried. The clock flickered and sped up until the minute hand was pointing on the 6. Daisuke bellowed in pain as poison filled his veins and started to flow through his bloodstream. The toxins quickly overwhelmed his kidneys and liver giving them free reign over his entire body. His organs began to slowly die and decay in the inside from the powerful toxins.

Jun watched eagerly as he almost slipped into unconsciousness and his eyes snapped open and he snarled and started to bellow like a savage beast. Jun said, "Impressive. I didn't expect you to survive this much."

"Bitch," croaked Daisuke his voice barely audible.

"Dai san dansu!" she cried once more. Daisuke thrashed around in the street writhing in pure agony. Sakura stepped back a few paces away from him afraid he was contagious. Jun smiled and yelled out over his screams, "The third dance destroys all of your organs and is slowly decaying all of your blood passages and is eating away at your heart." The clock ticked to the 9 and Daisuke still pulled through.

"Don't worry," said Jun, "It will be all over soon. Dai shi dansu!"

Daisuke's eyes immediately glazed over and rolled and he fell to the ground once more dead before his head struck the stone. Blood pooled out from his mouth, nose, and ears forming a massive puddle around him.

Sakura recoiled from the gruesome sight and glanced up at Jun who kept a straight face the entire time. The clock chimed an hour and snapped closed and she sheathed her zanpaktou at her hip. Makoto stumbled to his feet and applied pressure to stop the blood flowing from the wound. "Get Captain Unohana!" ordered Sakura. The front doors to the Squad 4 barracks and Unohana stood in the doorway, "I'm already here," she said with a slight smile.

She strode down the front steps and strode over to Makoto. "Get him to the infirmary. That's a pretty bad wound, but he'll live I've seen a lot worse in my time," she said to two members of her own squad slowly trailing behind her.

**X**

Akane stood hovering in the air focused on her opponent. She flicked Oshankingu and a torrent of water knocked Kiyomi out of the sky. She landed on both feet and finally unsheathed her blade. The guard was a metallic cherry blossom with dozens of metal petals layering atop one another. The blade of the zanpaktou protruded from the center of the blossom and the hilt was wrapped in soft pink silk.

Akane blocked another swift series of strikes from Kiyomi and nimbly planted a swift sidekick with her left foot and whirled around with her right to slam her foot down into her neck and hurl her down into Seireitei with brute force.

Kiyomi smashed through the gates of Yagami Manor. Akane strode through the wreckage and subdued the assembling guards with a wave of her hand. Kiyomi jumped to her feet and sonidoed at Akane with astonishing speed. Akane unleashed another surge of water and a vortex swirled around Kiyomi trapping her in the eye of the fierce storm.

The water bubbled and swelled taking her up hundreds of feet in the air. The column of water imploded and Kiyomi fell back to the ground hard lying drenched, battered, and wounded. Kiyomi's eyes widened as she looked up to see the mouth of a serpent bearing down on her. She sonidoed quickly and escaped the frothing liquid jaws of the snake. Kiyomi sat kneeling on one knee regathering herself and breathing in heavy, ragged gasps.

Akane whispered, "Bankai, Gurētoōshankingu!"

**A/N: Fin! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. We are drawing ever near to the ending of the battle. Can the New Order Espada prevail? Ah, the betrayal in Squad 14. I will try to explain Daisuke's betrayal in more depth later but he was responsible for the events in chapter 2 I will tell you that. I hope you liked the other members of Squad 14. Mini spoiler: Dramatic events will be occurring after the Espada are subdued. (desperate attempt at drawing in readers jk I already have you all hooked OwO) Seireitei will be plunged into chaos and another civil war threatens to break loose again.**


	9. Finishing What We Started

Finishing What We Started

**X**

Thick plumes of smoke rose from Seireitei and the Gotei 13 stood in disarray fighting back the Espada's army desperately. One by one Hollow fell and disintegrated into ash. The Espada had nearly all fallen and only three remained.

Soi Fon kept her eyes and the silent Espada in front of her. His raven hair bristled in the wind and he drew his zanpaktou. His blade had a dark purple hue and Soi Fon noticed something strange radiating from it.

The Espada laughed breaking the silence, "I suppose I should introduce myself, no?"

"I am Castor, Espada Dos," he said raising his sword to point at her.

Soi Fon smirked and let out a mocking laugh, "I get to kill another Espada of your rank. Just be sure to prove you are better than your predecessor."

He sonidoed behind Soi Fon and slashed wickedly at her hip. He unsheathed her blade partly deflecting his blow. She ripped it free of its sheathe and whirled on her opponent. He sonidoed in a zigzag and reappeared above her head and slammed his blade down with all his strength behind it. Soi Fon barely blocked the vicious blow and skidded away unable to hold him back. "Your raw power is astounding," said Soi Fon.

"Just wait until I'm in my Resurrecion form," said Castor with a smirk. He sonidoed forward and slashed and hacked in a flurry of attacks. Soi Fon gave more ground with each blow and found herself drawing closer and closer to the chaotic battle raging in close quarters behind them.

She broke the strafe and flash-stepped away putting some distance between them. She quickly released her zanpaktou, "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

She flash-stepped forward her speed increasing tenfold. Castor grunted in surprise and deflected every jab from Suzumebachi. He swatted Soi Fon away and gathered hi Spiritual Pressure. Soi Fon smirked, "Too slow." She flash-stepped behind him and jabbed for his exposed back. Castor sonidoed behind her with a charging Cero in his palm, "Too slow."

He released the violet Cero and Soi Fon dodged the deadly ray. The energy struck a nearby street below and the explosion consumed a block of Seireitei. Soi Fon sprinted forward and the man grinned and spun his blade rapidly in a circle. He blocked her frenzied jabs and swatted her aside with a stinging kick. "You have to do better than that."

Soi Fon panted catching her breath, "Bastard," she muttered through clenched teeth.

Castor laughed, "Now for the finale! Resurrecion!"

**X**

"Bankai, Gurētoōshankingu!" cried Akane. Her blade exploded into billions of glittering raindrops and two long crescent shaped daggers appeared in her hand. Kiyomi tensed anticipating Akane's attack. A disc of paper thin water shot off one of Akane's knives and sliced off part of Kiyomi's hair. Akane shot several more water discs after Kiyomi who was busy dodging the furious attacks. Kiyomi pointed her zanpaktou at Akane finally displaying her ornate guard. "It's for more than looks," said Kiyomi with a smile. The metal blossom glowed and a razor sharp petal fired at Akane.

Akane dodged and found another already sailing for her. He flash-stepped aside and deflected another off of her dagger to shoot off into the sky. "Mizu buredo!" Water flowed off of her daggers in a thin stream. It glowed a faint blue in response to her excess reiatsu radiating off of her.

Akane flash-stepped forward and lashed with both of her daggers in a cross cut. Kiyomi took the hit and stumbled backward as blood spurted from the flesh wound. "B-bitch," she groaned as she collapsed.

Akane walked away and tensed as immense Spiritual Pressure held her in place. "Where are _you _going?" screeched Kiyomi. She pointed her blade at Akane, "Resurrecion!"

Energy completely consumed Kiyomi and Akane covered her eyes from the blinding light. Akane flash-stepped forward giving Kiyomi no time as the energy faded. Kiyomi laughed and raised her palms. Blossoms made from jagged crystal glowed in the center of her palms. "Shit," cursed Kiyomi. The crystals glowed and fired at Akane in a barrage catching her off guard.

Akane screeched in pain as the crystal shards sank in and exploded inside of her. Kiyomi sonidoed forward and kicked Akane aside through the outer wall shielding the mansion from outsiders. Akane flash-stepped through the cloud of dust and caught Kiyomi off guard and gathered her power at full strength. Water surged out of her daggers and gathered in a thin sphere around Kiyomi. Kiyomi stuck part of her bone armor encasing her body outside of the sphere and the shoulder spike was sheared off. Akane smiled, "Die Arrancar!"

"Mizu no haka!" cried Akane. The sphere imploded and sliced through Kiyomi's armor. She desperately shot her blossoms at the sphere of water trying to penetrate through it but the crystals shattered from the sheer pressure of the torrent encasing her.

The water turned crimson and evaporated into a wisp of steam leaving nothing behind. Akane's daggers hummed and flickered before returning to their normal state. She sheathed Oshankingu surveying the damage to the manor. "One down, two to go," she sighed.

**X**

Castor remerged from the storm of reiatsu encased in elegant white armor that rose off of his shoulders to form a hood to obscure his features. Soi Fon's gaze flickered to the openings on a bump in the armor on the top of his hands. Castor sprang forward delivering several kicks and punches to Soi Fon.

Soi Fon blocked them with ease and jabbed with Suzumebachi repeatedly. Twin blades slid out of the openings on his hands and he deflected every strike sending sparks showering on the Fraccion fighting below. Castor lunged and pierced through her Shihakusho and blood welled through the cut in the fabric. Soi Fon snarled and flash-stepped rapidly creating fifty clones of herself.

Castor tensed searching them trying to figure out which one was the real one. They all charged as one every movement the same. He roared in rage and released a Cero, "Cero Obscures!" Purple energy flashed and annihilated all of them. He stood surprised as each clone disappeared flickering out of shape. Soi Fon flash stepped behind him and stabbed him in the back. Castor sonidoed before she could jab again and glanced over his shoulder to see the tattoo spreading from the wound.

He released Cero after Cero. Soi Fon weaved under each one and cried, "Shunko!"

She flash-stepped forward and delivered a powerful kick to his stomach. He barreled towards the ground and smashed through tall stalks of bamboo in clumps just outside of Seireitei. Soi Fon flash-stepped into the clearing and glanced down in the massive crater to see him stirring. She flash-stepped forward raising Suzumebachi for the final strike and Castor smiled maliciously before sonidoeing aside. Soi Fon whirled around to find him behind her and took one of his blades to the chest.

She pulled herself free panting from the pain and applied pressure to try to stop the bloodflow. Castor smiled and charged up a Cero, "Well if that's it then-"

"Bankai, Jakuhō Raikōben!" cried Soi Fon. He took aim and fired. Castor gasped in surprise as the missile exploded a mere inch away from him and he vanished in the blast consumed by the powerful flames. Soi Fon shielded her eyes from the flames and turned away as his Spiritual Pressure vanished heading back up into the sky to rejoin the battle overhead.

**X**

Satoru grimaced as flames danced around him from Ryuujin Jakka. Yamamoto strode forward and flames bathed his sword once more. "You don't stand a chance boy," scoffed Genryuusai.

Satoru glared and bellowed at him before charging, "Don't count me out yet."

Genryuusai glared at his audacity and unleashed a more powerful wave of fire. Satoru smiled and the raised one of his hands that resembled a massive claw and air streamed off in high pressure extinguishing the fire. Genryuusai watched as the flame was snuffed out and shook his head. Satoru sprinted forward and fired Ryuujin Jakka's flames at twice its original strength back at Yamamoto.

Yamamoto flash-stepped aside dodging the deadly fire and brought his sword to bear rushing Satoru forcing him back in a relentless onslaught with his sword. Satoru blocked every strike with his jagged claw and sliced at Genryuusai. He blocked the clumsy blow and countered with a swift jab piercing through the armor encasing the Espada Prima.

Yamamoto locked Ryuujin Jakka inside the hook forcing Satoru down and smiled before lighting the sword once again. The flames cannoned off and smote Satoru sending him crashing down into Seireitei in a smoking heap.

Yamamoto raised Ryuujin Jakka to the sky and cried out, "Ennetsu Jigoku!" A huge column of flame rose from the streets where Satoru landed. Yamamoto watched Satoru vanish n the flames and turned to leave.

**X**

Masaru stood floating in the air watching the battles rage around him with little interest, "I grow tired of this." He ripped his zanpaktou free and disappeared in a flash step. With no emotion, he flash-stepped through the Arrancar cutting them all down one by one giving them no time to defend themselves.

"Massacre your foes, Kurai Koka!" cried Masaru. His sword split into two attached to a long chain. He swung the chain over his head and tossed it into the crowd slicing through flesh bone. Arrancar toppled with every throw and shinigami surged forward to cut down the survivors.

His head snapped to the huge explosion behind him from Ennetsu Jigoku and flash-stepped over to Genryuusai as Satoru fired it back up at Yamamoto barely able to control its power coursing through him.

Masaru jumped in front of Yamamoto holding out a hand and held the flames at bay unleashing his full Spiritual Pressure. The flames vanished and he took aim at Satoru, "Hado 91: Senjū Kōten Taihō!" Spears of light fired down at the surprised Satoru and he disappeared in a huge blinding explosion.

Satoru flash-stepped forward out of the fiery storm and slashed at Yamamoto. Yamamoto deflected the blow and delivered a powerful punch to his chest knocking him back out of the sky. He crashed into the street making another crater. He struggled to get to his feet and faded from Resurrecion form unable to maintain it anymore. He used his Zanpaktou to balance himself and finally stood glaring up at the sky. "_Why couldn't we win?"_

"Because you're weak," said Masaru with a smile flash-stepping behind him. Quicker than the eye could follow, Masaru slashed through Satoru's back cutting him down. Satoru collapsed his blood pooling around him and his vision faded to nothing. "Yu are nothing compared to your predecessors," said Masaru. Those were the last words he heard before everything gave in to the rising tide of nothingness.

The Gotei 14 cut down the remaining Hollow and surveyed the damage to Seireitei. Yamamoto flash-stepped amidst their ranks, "Only minimal destruction to the city it will take a while to completely repair everything but Seireitei will return to normal soon enough."

His wary gaze fell on Masaru watching the smoke rise from the city, "I will have to keep an eye on that one," he muttered.

**A/N: ** Sorry I made the battles to short but I wanted to cut off the Espada mini-arc because it was growing boring. Don't worry next chapter will get interesting again. Mini-spoiler: Next chappy, will be five years later in Seireitei.


	10. Retribution

Retribution

The steady chatter surrounding Masaru died away as a member of the Central 46 stood and roared at the crowd gathering to watch the appeal, "QUIET!"

The chatter died instantly and the huge doors opened before them. Several guards garbed in all white escorted the restrained prisoner into the room. He was forced down into a large chair and chained to it. The leather straps were pulled off of his face revealing his features to the room. The captains shifted uneasily as Aizen's piercing eyes swept the room. Masaru returned the cold stare right back at Aizen drawing his attention for a moment.

A noble directly ahead of Aizen spoke loudly, "Sosuke Aizen, former captain of the fifth division, traitor to Soul Society, you have pleaded for an appeal for your sentence to be lessened or if possible your freedom. Do you have any evidence whatsoever why we would even think to agree with your demands?"

"People can change," Aizen said softly, "But…I'm not one of those people. I merely summoned you here to deliver a message to the crowd gathered here to witness this clearing today." His head craned around to fixate a dull stare on them, "You may have thought of me defeated, beaten, cast away forever into the shadows of Muken. You forgot one thing…that I'm Sosuke Aizen and I will stop at nothing to get my revenge on Soul Society."

The Central 46 seethed with fury and shouts of fury and rage rang through the nobles. "Take him away," they snarled. The guards hurried forth from their respective corners and tugged Aizen away. He gave a smug smirk up at the nobles and gave no struggle to the guards as they took him away. The double doors swung open and he gave a final warm stare up at Masaru his gaze filled with pride. Masaru looked away as the doors sung shut and the crowd dispersed out the doors.

The nobles stayed seated talking amongst themselves. Masaru watched the captains leave and got up to leave himself. He headed for the huge doors and his vision blacked out. He vanished into his inner world summoned by his zanpaktou. The grim reaper stood floated surrounded by raging clouds. Masaru hovered in the air before him looking down through heavens at the raging storm ripping down the ruins that filled his inner world. A massive wave surged forward and ripped through the fortress below devouring it in its frenzied maw.

"Your inner turmoil is threatening to destroy this world, " the reaper sighed, "How long must we keep up with this façade it's starting to annoy me quite frankly."

"Only a little longer," he said quietly, "I will try to control my emotions better I'm sorry Kurai Koka." The reaper smiled and white light blinded his vision.

Masaru smiled, "_Let the mirage shatter to reveal the true soul that hides behind the glass._"

His vision returned to find the guards staring at him uneasily, "Are you okay Captain Yagami?" they asked as he returned to his senses.

"Yes," he said calmly. His hand dropped to his zanpaktou and he ripped it free. The guards gasped in horror as the blade bit through their flesh. Blood spattered against the great doors and the guards crumpled beneath Masaru's blade.

The nobles jumped up staring in horror at Masaru as he walked towards them flicking the blood off of his blade. "W-what are you doing Captain Masaru?" one screamed in horror.

"Something I should have done a long time ago," he snarled. He pointed a shaking hand at the nobles. "Raikōhō!" he roared. A bolt of yellow energy flew from his hand and struck the center noble devouring those close to him in the raging explosion. A few survivors raced for the door. Masaru flash stepped towards the doors slicing through them in a frenzy.

He advanced on the lone survivor pressing the tip of his blade on his heart. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you," snarled Masaru.

"I-I-" stuttered the noble backing away towards the door. Masaru rammed his zanpaktou through his chest, "Not good enough."

He ripped his zanpaktou free and the noble collapsed convulsing and writhing on the ground in ragged gasps. Masaru blasted open the doors with a quick Kido spell and flash-stepped away into the night.

**X**

Flames rose from the building from the blast and smoke puffed up in plumes. Shinigami and guards converged on the scene. Yamamoto flash-stepped into the destroyed room. He stared at the charred corpses strewn across the floor and tables. He shook his head in disgust. He stared at the cut bodies and glanced at Captain Kuchiki and Soi Fon. "Where's Captain Masaru?" he asked coldly.

**X**

The scent of pine needles filled Masaru's nose. He caught sight of the steel wall looming over him obscured by the dark evergreen pines. He strode over to the gates and approached the two guards guarding the entrance to Muken. "Good evening, Captain Masaru. What brings you here at this hour?" asked a guard. "Oh. Nothing in particular I'm just here to check to interrogate a prisoner that may know something about a case Squad 12 has had for quite a while," he replied.

"Ah, but then why didn't Captain Kurotsuchi come then," asked the other guard.

"He would rather be left to his experiments so I decided to grant him a favor," he replied with a warm smile.

"Alright then…" he said unsurely. The other guard piped in as the gates open, "Make sure you surrender your zanpaktou at the checkpoint."

Masaru nodded and strode in unopposed. He pulled his zanpaktou and its sheath of his hip and walked slowly towards the checkpoint. He prepared to surrender his zanpaktou and gave his best charming smile to the officers behind the desk.

**X**

Aizen smiled feeling his son's spiritual pressure enter the prison. He ushered his whole being and raw power against the walls of his Black Coffin restraining him from escaping. Some of his reiatsu escaped snaking under the tiny crack allowing air into the room. His zanpaktou glowed and hummed in response to his presence in the vault in front of his cell sealing him away from his zanpaktou.

The sheath hummed and vibrated before shooting ff to strike the wall. The blade lifted from the pedestal glowing with reiatsu. The guards outside the vault collapsed as Spiritual Pressure rocked the prison. "WHAT IS THIS!" they screamed.

Aizen whispered, "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu!"

**X**

The air glimmered and cracked everywhere stripping away Aizen's hypnosis. Masaru grinned as his hair grew longer until he appeared almost an exact replica of Aizen. His zanpaktou guard dissipated and reformed in a snow white hilt. The blade stood translucent a very sharp and thin diamond material no doubt.

Masaru grinned and sprinted forward slicing the strange blade through the officer's chest. The other officers and guards charged swinging at him in hand to hand combat. He shook his head and cried releasing his zanpaktou into shikai, "Retaliate, Kurieitā!"

The air hummed and reiatsu swirled around him. He returned out of the storm of Spirit Energy and the guards stared at his blade confused, "It didn't change at all…" said a guard confused. The doors on the other end of the hall opened and the warden strode in.

"Don't be fooled it's probably some trickery," he spat walking forward and stopped his eyes falling on Masaru, "Impossible…"

"You know what they say, like father like son," he said with a sinister smile. He disappeared into sonido surprising everyone. "T-that wasn't a flash step!" cried a guard.

Masaru appeared behind him and cut him down with a vertical slash to his spine. He whirled on an officer and swatted him aside with a swift and powerful spin kick. He turned towards the survivors, "Are you sure you really want to see my power?" asked Masaru laughing softly.

The warden rushed forward releasing his zanpaktou, "Punish the insolent, Tenshi!"

His blade morphed into a spear and Masaru laughed. The warden smirked at his arrogance and the spear shot forward in a split second turning into a barb like tip and passing an electric shock through him. Masaru gritted his teeth and pointed his sword at him. "Howl, Zabimaru!" roared Masaru. His blade glowed and the diamond grew and morphed into Renji's shikai. He laughed and swung the hilt at the warden the blade shot forward and smashed the warden against the wall.

"Insolent wretch," spat Masaru, "You all underestimate my power."

The warden slumped staring up at Masaru as he walked toward him, "I-I don't understand how can you use other Soul Reaper's abilities?" he asked gasping.

"Kurieitā is a mysterious zanpaktou and its raw power and abilities continue to astound me," said Masaru with a mocking smile, "Kurieitā in its shikai state can utilize any shikai ability that any Soul Reaper or other being that wields a zanpaktou in the past, present or future. SO basically I can use any ability from any zanpaktou that will ever exist."

"How could we not see such a power all along?" he asked in disbelief.

"Isn't it obvious? My father has been using his complete hypnosis on all of Soul Society for all these years shielding my true nature and abilities from a pathetic and judging world such as this place. If my powers would have come to light Yamamoto and the Central 46 would have ordered the execution of myself and the destruction of my zanpaktou," said Masaru growing angry.

"All of Soul Society would have been much better off if the Central 46 would have stripped you of your zanpaktou back at you and your lieutenant's hearing for your unnatural powers," spat the warden.

"Yes well Central 46 won't be doing much anymore," said Masaru with a malicious grin.

"N-no it can't be," cried the warden, "You killed _all_ of them?"

"Still following in the footsteps of my father," smiled Masaru.

"Damn you," roared the warden. He pointed his shikai at Masaru and the barbed spear flew out again.

"I'm not falling for that again," said Masaru frowning. He dodged the electric barb and grabbed the metal shaft. With a flick of his wrist, he shattered the shikai into a million pieces. He delivered the final blow with Zabimaru and dispatched the remaining guards.

His blade reverberated back to its diamond-like complexion and he continued on leaving the blood covered hall behind him. He entered the lift and descended into the lowest levels of Muken. The lift doors snapped open and he stepped out swinging his sword at once to cut a guard's throat. He decapitated the other and continued on leaving their corpses to fall in a twisted heap.

He reached the heavily barricaded vault and pointed his blade at the guards preventing him from entering, "Growl, Haineko!"

Ash burst out of the now bladeless zanpaktou and enveloped the guards in a chaotic frenzy. He sung the hilt several times and the guards fell dead with cuts all over their bodies. His blade returned and he continued on past the pile of corpses. "Haien!" he cried unleashing the disintegrating flames on the thick steel doors. The melted away and he continued on blasting through the next set of doors on the far side of the vault.

He headed over to the massive Black Coffin spell taking up most of the room. He raised his sword and smashed through the glass-like cage.

**X**

Soi Fon and Lieutenant Omaeda flash-stepped into Muken to see the guards and blood spilled everywhere. "We're too late," she said, "Hurry we have to stop him from freeing Aizen.

Omaeda flash-stepped after her jumping down the lift shaft and dropping down to the lowest levels of Muken. She landed swiftly and sprinted down the long hall to the vault. Byakuya flash-stepped into the hall directly in front of her, "You made me wait," he said monotonously.

"Now you show a sense of humor," she said rolling her eyes.

She continued on cautiously releasing her sword, "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

Omaeda ran ahead entering the room searching everywhere. The floodlights snapped on illuminating the center of the now darkened room. Aizen stood with Kyoka Suigetsu in his hands and chuckled lightly with Masaru standing beside him, "Let's get this party started shall we?"

**A/N: Cliffhanger! Hope you enjoyed this new update. You will definitely enjoy next chappy a great many things will unfold…yes a great many things. Including the death of my least favorite lieutenant in this anime :3. Oops spoiler, but you will never guess who. Review, fav, you know the drill. See you all next chapter.**


	11. Carnage

Carnage

Aizen smiled at the two captains, "As you know, I'm a very busy man so I don't have time for this," he said.

Soi Fon darted in front of the vault's entrance. "You're not going anywhere," she snarled glaring at Aizen. She sprang forward lunging with Suzumebachi and the needlelike tip stabbed into him twice. The butterfly tattoo grew and was consumed by the toxins. Soi Fon spun around already seeing through the illusion as it shattered.

Byakuya left Soi Fon to her fight and turned to Masaru, "It is my duty to exterminate you to somewhat revitalize the damage you have done to the Kuchiki reputation," he said his voice dangerously low. He unsheathed Senzonbakura and attacked with intense ferocity. Masaru deftly blocked the rapid strike and quickly aimed a jab at his waist.

Byakuya blocked the blow and swung swiftly for his face the tip of his blade nicking Masaru's cheek. Masaru pointed Kurieitā at Byakuya, "Reap, Kazeshini!" His sword transformed into Hisagi's shikai and he quickly sprang the offensive forcing Byakuya to give ground.

Byakuya flash-stepped aside dodging one of the double-scythes spinning for his right arm and swiped at Masaru's throat. Masaru dodged in a split second and planted a swift kick between Byakuya's ribs lifting him off of his feet to fly through the air. Masaru smiled fiendishly as he struck the heavy vault wall and collapsed on one knee gasping for air.

"Bakudo 61: Rikujōkōrō!" cried Masaru pointing his palm at Byakuya. Soi Fon's attention snapped to Masaru and she murmured, "No incantation?"

"He's a prodigy," smiled Aizen.

Six beams of light launched at Byakuya slamming into his torso and pinned him against the wall. Byakuya struggled unable to move his limbs. Aizen redoubled his efforts to dispatch of Soi Fon gaining the advantage from her distraction. Soi Fon delivered a powerful kick to Aizen's neck and she spun as the image shattered and she stabbed straight into Aizen as he reappeared only to her dismay to see the illusion shatter.

She spun around to feel the cool, sharp bite of Kyoka Suigetsu plunging into her side and Aizen kicked her off his blade and she struck the wall hard collapsing near Byakuya. "Now we really must get going," said Aizen with a smug smile. Masaru followed sonidoeing after Aizen as they vanished from the vault.

**X**

Yamamoto stood in the main yard flanked by almost all of the captains, all of the lieutenants, and captain-class fighters of the Gotei 14. "They will be here at any moment. Show no mercy. Kill the traitor Yagami Masaru and apprehend Sosuke Aizen, you have your orders," said Genryuusai slamming his staff into the sand.

Omaeda tensed listening for footsteps and unsheathed his sword as the double doors on the far side of the room flew off crashing into a villa of cells higher in the prison. Masaru sonidoed out with his zanpaktou in hand stopping before the crowd of Soul Reapers, "Move aside, and none of you shall be harmed," he said to the crowd audible enough so everyone could hear.

Yamamoto roared out of the crowd at Masaru, "Why have you set that monster free, Yagami Masaru?"

"It's Sosuke Masaru," he sneered. The lieutenants surrounded him one by one forming a circle to cut him off from Aizen. Aizen smiled and said to Masaru, "I guess the captains are mine." He sonidoed before the captains, "Ready for a rematch?" he asked.

Masaru watched all of the lieutenants unsheathe their zanpaktous circling him. Omaeda roared being the first to foolishly charge him despite Hikari's warning. "Smash 'em, Gegetsuburi!" roared Omaeda. His zanpaktou transformed into his mace-like shikai and he grinned as Masaru cocked his head to the side sizing him up, _"What is he planning?"_

He found his answer as Omaeda flash stepped above him and hurled Gegetsuburi at him. Masaru glanced up at him seeing through his obvious attack. Hikari watched in horror as he stopped Gegetsuburi with a single finger snapping the chain connecting it to its hilt from the sudden force. The mace shattered into millions of dazzling pieces leaving Omaeda standing alone, shocked, and utterly defenseless.

Masaru smiled as the other lieutenants rushed to help him, "Too late," he murmured. He pointed Kurieitā at Omaeda, "Frosted Heavens, Hyoinimaru!" he cried. Hitsugaya spun away from his own fight with Aizen distracted by the appearance of his shikai. "How the hell," he murmured.

Omaeda whimpered as the ice dragon burst from his sword and its massive jaws snapped shut over him dragging him into its frozen maw and slammed high up on the wall on the far side of the room slamming him roughly against the steel wall. Omaeda plummeted and felt several bones crack as he body struck the floor.

Masaru deflected a blow from Rangiku and leapt forward nipping Kira's cheek with the tip of his blade. Hisagi burst out of the circle next, "Reap, Kazeshini!" he roared. He assaulted Masaru's defenses with his brute force and narrowly dodged a well-aimed Byakurai from Masaru. Masaru ducked his flurry of attacks and hissed through clenched teeth at Hisagi, "Raise your head, Wabisuke!"

Hisagi backed up as his friend's shikai appeared in Masaru's grasp. He attacked slamming the blade twice on Kazeshini's blades. Hisagi dodged his attempts to strike Kazeshini meeting partial success. Masaru sonidoed behind him and swung three times rapidly at Hisagi's back. Hisagi was forced to deflect all three blows and immediately dropped Kazeshini unable to hold them any longer.

Masaru smiled and chanted a quick Kido spell before Hisagi could react, "Bakudo 75: Gochūtekkan!" He panted from his exertions and sonidoed away to regain himself for a brief moment.

Hisagi groaned as five tall thick metal pillars slammed on him and pinned him to the ground. He struggled unable to escape his prison and watched as Rangiku raced forward initiating the attack on Masaru again. Kira and Yachiru raced forward as well. Yachiru unsheathed her zanpaktou and flung herself at Masaru beating down his defenses in a barrage of ferocious attacks.

Yachiru somersaulted away as Masaru retaliated with inhuman speed. Hikari stood clutching her zanpaktou observing the battle, frozen unable to comprehend Masaru's betrayal. Masaru dodged Kira completely, wary of Wabisuke's power. Rangiku released her shikai, "Growl, Haineko!" Ash sprayed off of her zanpaktou's hilt and flew for Masaru.

Masaru jumped avoiding the first gust. He sonidoed as it flew u in the air to greet him. It swerved descending on him. He quickly held out his palm and shouted over the noise of the battle, "Hado 58: Tenran!" A cyclone burst from his palm and blasted the ash away. He laughed as Yachiru charged at him again, "Is this all the lieutenants of the Gotei 14 have got?"

He sonidoed forward slashing at Yachiru she dove and let her Spiritual Pressure fill the room. He glared daggers from her eyes at Masaru and flew across the room screeching a battle cry. She kicked him n the stomach and punched him in the chest in a split second. Masaru deflected a bout of sword strikes and lashed out at her with a powerful kick missing her neck by a mere inch.

Yachiru lunged forward slicing through his Shihakusho and dug her blade deep into his abdomen. He hissed in pain as blood spattered on the ground and he swatted her away with a powerful strike knocking her off of her feet. He ripped her sword out of him and threw it across the room thoroughly irritated. Omaeda tackled him from behind catching him off guard. Masaru kicked him off and sonidoed after him his fury rising. He slashed twice in a split second leaving a deep X-shaped gash in his chest.

Blood welled from the wound and pooled on the floor. Omaeda fell to his knees and collapsed dazed. Masaru raise his blade for the final blow and slammed his translucent blade into Omaeda's chest five more times making sure he was as good as dead. His last few breaths came out in ragged gasps and his eyes rolled glazing over. Soi Fon whirled around surprised. _He died?_

The lieutenants all charged towards Masaru but Hikari flash-stepped head holding out a hand, "He's mine."

A smug grin crossed Masaru's face, "Finally a challenge."

Hikari unsheathed her zanpaktou and sliced for his neck, torso, and waist in a flurry of strikes. Masaru adeptly deflected them all and counterstruck with a swift jab.

Hikari rushed forward shoving his blade away and hers plunged into his stomach. He gasped and spat a mouthful of blood into the sand beneath his feet. He pointed Kurieitā at her and sonidoed forward slashing and hacking with extreme speed. "You forget what squad I originally came from," she said with a grin after dodging his brutal attacks.

Masaru's eyes widened feeling the sudden spike in Spiritual Pressure and Ikkaku's shikai pierced his chest completely running him through. He fell to his knees grabbing hold of the wooden shaft, he looked up and started cackling like a maniac, "You think this is over?"

Yumichika flash-stepped besides Ikkaku staring at Masaru, "I'm going to remove such an ugly thing from this beautiful world," he said frowning in disgust at Masaru's laughter. Masaru looked up regaining his composure. He pulled Hōzukimaru from his chest and tossed it aside. Hikari sprinted forward as black energy gathered in Masaru's hands swirling in a rising storm of raw power.

Masaru rose to his feet wincing from his wound and smirked at the two frozen on the spot, "Cero Colossus!" he cried. Three rays fired forming together in one giant blast swallowing up Ikkaku and Yumichika in its black maw.

"IKKAKU!" screamed Hikari. He energy dissipated revealing the wall of shimmering pink blossoms swirling at insane speeds. The petals subsided revealing Byakuya shielding the two, "Senzonbakura Kageyoshi!" said Byakuya staring calmly at Masaru.

**A/N: Fin! Sorry for the wait. I hoped you liked. Review, favorite, whatever you want. I can't wait for you guys to read next chapter coming soon. By the way, as you can tell I clearly dislike Omaeda so I killed him in this. There will be a new OC lieutenant later on in the story for Squad 2.**


	12. True Power

True Power

Masaru stared in disbelief at Byakuya standing there shielding Ikkaku and Yumichika from harm. "You underestimate me Masaru," sighed Byakuya calmly, breathing heavily from his exertions. He pointed his blade at Masaru, glimmering petals swirling around it. The petals shot forward with animalistic fury. Masaru blasted a swathe through them with a well-aimed Cero.

Hikari charged him from behind and Ikkaku and Yumichika slashed viciously from opposite directions at his chest. He surprised everyone by sheathing his sword and sprinting forward deftly dodging any blow thrown his way. He swept Ikkaku's legs out sending him crashing to the floor. He spun around and lashed out, his foot catching Hikari's left cheek. She flew across the room in front of the other lieutenants charging to help.

Rangiku fired a Shakkaho at Masaru and the crackling scarlet ball of energy passed his face by a mere inch. Hikari jumped up snarling and released her zanpaktou, "Chisel, Paradasu!"

Masaru's attention snapped towards her as she flash-stepped at him and he unsheathed his sword barely blocking her well-placed blow. He staggered and Ikkaku seized the opening slashing down vertically at his head while he leapt through the air.

Masaru's eyes flashed up at Ikkaku and he smiled evilly cackling, "Raiku."

His sword morphed into the zanpaktou of none other than Kageroza himself and he deftly caught it in his hand bringing it to bear he swung it clockwise opening a portal and Ikkaku vanished inside. He pointed it at Hikari laughing and spun it counterclockwise and Ikkaku burst out of the portal and his blade rammed through Hikari's chest.

"NOOOOO," screamed Ikkaku. He spun on Masaru battering him down with a vicious frenzy of attacks. Masaru blocked each one barely and released a Cero sending him tumbling in a smoking heap beside Hikari. Masaru barely dodged Kazeshini and Hisagi leapt forward attacking him with his scythes. Rangiku yelled out Hisagi to move as a storm of ash burst from Haineko and enveloped Masaru. She slashed viciously at him avenging her fallen comrades. The ash dissipated leaving Masaru with several deep cuts running down his chest.

He stumbled and snarled out, "I didn't want to have to do this, but I see I have no other choice. BANKAI! Kami no sōzō!"

Blinding white reiatsu surged from him mixing in a storm of black. His power brought everyone save Yamamoto and Aizen to their knees but the two were clearly wincing from his strength. "Senzonbakura Kageyoshi!" said Masaru and his sword glowed pink and slipped into the ground and several tall blades rose form the ground in neat rows behind him. Byakuya flash-stepped forward summoning his own bankai and he hurled a storm of glowing petals at Masaru trying to stop him. Masaru laughed, "Danku!" and the petals crashed against the shimmering field of energy. He unleashed Byakuya's bankai on the lieutenants of the Gotei 14 swallowing them in the cyclone of petals. The petals subsided and all were on the ground lying in pools of blood.

Byakuya blasted through the shield finally losing his temper. Masaru turned around too late to be blasted aside by a swathe of petals. Akane watched the fight with horror in her eyes seeing her friends fall and the one she loved striking each one down. The final straw was her father collapsing from a quick strike from Masaru, his previous wounds finally taking their total.

Akane unsheathed her zanpaktou, "BANKAI! GREATOSHANKINGU!"

Masaru's eyes widened as his wife's voice pierced the air and she assailed him with a torrent of water smashing him roughly against the wall. He dropped disappearing into a cyclone and she pointed the hilt of her zanpaktou at Aizen as well and he was swept onto the storm of rapid water. He stood next to Masaru in the center laughing. Masaru knew this was no laughing matter and unleashed Cero after Cero at the water hoping the rays would tear the rising storm apart. The captains stared in awe as her bankai filled the room and she pointed the surge of water coming out of her hilt along the floor and a serpent formed its liquid jaws spewing a torrent of water into the air. It snaked around the cyclone and peered down into its depths. The serpent roared, lunging, its jaws wide open and cascaded down on them.

Masaru made a desperate attempt to fend it off with Cero Colossus and the serpent swallowed it the energy crackling inside. Aizen peered through the water at Akane's blurry silhouette and disappeared with Masaru in the serpent's jaws.

The water subsided and the water foamed at everyone's feet finally dying down. Soi Fon shrieked at her as blue glowing cracks semmed to etch through the air, "LOOK OUT!"

The image shattered and Aizen rammed Kyoka Suigetsu into her much to her disbelief. "You thought I would fall that easily?" he sneered. He wrenched the blade inside and ripped it free with a sick sucking down flicking the blood onto the ground and she gasped collapsing on the floor in a pool of blood.

Masaru's attention fixated on Hikari getting up and she roared furious at his betrayal, "SHUNKAI!"

Masaru dodged Akurai and Kage as they lunged for him and he swatted Akurai away again as she came in for a second attack with a Cero. He pointed his translucent blade at Hikari, "Why don't you just lay down and _die_?" he asked snarling in a mixture of frustration and irritation.

"Ryuujin Jakka!" he snarls. Binding orange flames swarm over Hikari enveloping her in the lethal flames. Yamamoto leaps into action cutting down the flames with his sword and he unleashes his own blast of fire at Aizen and Masaru. Masaru dodges and flash-steps forward quickly hurling another torrent of flame at Hikari and then another at Yamamoto to keep him occupied. Yamamoto swats the flames directed away and flash-steps in front of the wave directed at Hikari taking the blow to protect her.

He staggers as the flames subside panting, his haori and the upper part of his Shihakusho now burned away. "Traitor," he sighs through his ragged breathing his own zanpaktou's powers taking a heavy toll on him. Akurai leaps from behind tackling Masaru to the ground. Kage attacks Aizen blasting him across the other room in a storm of deadly black fire.

Hikari gets up in ragged breaths pushing past Yamamoto gently she limps over to Masaru with her zanpaktou in hand, her wolves return to her side helping her along. "I'm going to kill you. You b-bastard," she panted and lunged forward.

Masaru smiled and shook his head with a smirk crossing his lips, "Not in this life."

"Ennetsu Jigoku!" he roared. Yamamoto tried to reach her desperately to save her from the wrath of his zanpaktou's abilities. He knew it was too late as he shielded his eyes as a bright flash ripped apart the room in a huge pillar of flame consuming Hikari inside.

The flames subsided back into Masaru's blade and Hikari collapsed scorched from the flames. Most of her hair was burned away stopping at almost shoulder length and her hair was now singed slightly jet-black. Masaru nudged her body with his foot and walked away opening a Gargantuan. Aizen flash-stepped beside him and the black portal closed behind the taking them to Hueco Muendo.

Ikkaku rose slowly to his feet looking around the room at the devastation. "Hikari?" he asked searching the room. The captains stood at the center of the room with a mourning look on all their faces. Soi Fon spared a glance at Omaeda already knowing his fate, "You were brave," she whispered.

Unohana strode over to Hikari and yelled out catching everyone by surprise, "She's alive!"

Ikkaku snapped around in disbelief and rushed over to her side with Yumichika close behind. He knelt by her and she stirred opening her eyes, "I-I'm going to kill him."

**A/N: Fin! Kind of short chapter but I'm making up or it by posting a second chapter in one update. Sorry for the lateness just been focusing on drawing a Bleach poster .**


	13. Desperate Howls

Yeah, so I asked Sinner if I could write this. And he said I could, so YEAH! Thanks dude! You rock XD! Okay so, this is mostly about Hikari … I had to…

Anyways, I was bored and I really wanted to do something with Hikari's Inner world. It took a while for me to come up with her inner world.

Well, I can't think of anything to rant on about, so just read the chapter.

P.S.: Hikari has a tree house in this story(I know, it sound funny but it's where she lives). Here is the link to her house. I don't own the Tree House or anything, that goes to the respected Owner. { . } I know it's a little big, but she was squad eleven so she added a training room*sigh*…

Enjoy!

/

Hikari lay in the grass; her wolves lying next to her. The white wolf, Akarui, laid her head on Hikari's shoulder while the black wolf, Kage, laid his head on her stomach. Hikari used Akarui as a pillow.

"Master, you seem stressed."Kage mused. His ears went down as he felt the unusual aura surround Hikari. Akarui lashed her tail around Hikari's stomach; covering Kage's face. Kage only growled and lifted his head.

"Stop," Hikari said, "Every time I'm in a bad mood, you two always fight and give me headaches…" Kage rested his head back onto Hikari's stomach as Akarui moved her tail.

"Are you in a bad mood, master?" Akarui asked as she licked her cheek. Hikari brought her hand up and scratched her black ear. Her other hand went to Kage's white ear.

"No, I'm just confused… Why did you just up and betray us like that… It doesn't make any sense," She sighed and looked at the dark blue sky above her.

"What doesn't make sense?" They both asked at the same time.

"That he didn't kill everyone then and there at that very moment…" She grabbed a blade of grass and started to run it through her fingers.

"You think too much, master. Rest." She closed her eyes and smiled.

She didn't even notice her hair was gone.

/

She woke up silently. She looked around and saw no one around. Her whole body hurt even though she didn't move an inch. More scars were added to her list as she felt her stomach and chest. Her skin was laced with them. Most of her body was cascaded in scars and bandages.

He was really serious about this.

Masaru was now her enemy.

She was going to kill him, no matter how long it takes.

She sighed and grunted in pain.

"How do you feel?" Hikari turned her head towards his voice. She smirked.

"I have had worse…" She pushed herself up, despite the pain.

"Don't hurt yourself, Hikari." He walked over to her and tried to make her lay back down, but she didn't listen.

"I'm fine, Ikkaku!" She snarled at him and his help. That pissed him off.

"Damn it, Hikari! Why won't you accept any help?"

"Because I don't need it, and I don't want it!" She yelled back. She winced as she grabbed her stomach. This strain wasn't good for her. Ikkaku sighed, obviously frustrated.

"You're gonna end up in the same position like you were all those nights," She stiffened, "You wouldn't stop screaming. You were in complete shock, and so were we." He paused, and started at her, "It's not safe to stray away from everybody and keep everything to yourself. You need to stop thinking you don't have anything on your mind, or thinking you don't have any friends to talk to."

She didn't look at him. She was mentally beating herself up for letting him talk to her about feelings and such. She didn't need anyone or anything.

At that same moment, Captain General walked in with Captain Unohana, Captain Ukitake, Captain Koyraku, and Captain Zaraki behind him.

"What's going on?" She asked in a stern voice.

"You are here by claimed as Captain of Squad Fourteen." She stared at him in shock. 'C-captain…? What's going on…?' She thought. She nodded.

"Yes, Sir." She said blandly. But she was determined to use this rank as a advantage.

"You will see me after you recover for the ceremony." She nodded and watched them leave, except for Zaraki.

"I expect a fight from you, Captain Kyaro." She smirked at him.

"Wouldn't miss it." He left with an evil grin on his face.

/

Weeks and several shots later, she was free from Squad Four and out again. She had to re-do her hair since Masaru singed it with that sword.

She sighed and played with her shoulder length hair. She wasn't going to get used to it.

She groaned again as Akarui and Kage argued in her head. She could hear there barks and growls and snarls and she felt her skull get banged on by their constant growl's

"You have no right to help her! I am her primary wolf!" Akarui barked.

"It doesn't matter, I am stronger then you!" Kage snapped. More barking and growls and snarls. She felt her self get dizzy and she walked on the bridge that connected to her house from the barracks.

"You don't know anything about her abilities and her strengths! So back off, Kage!" Akarui barked at him and attacked him. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head; a sign that a tree had fallen in their fight.

She made her way through the forest, traveling on the bridges that lead her to her home.

She lived in the middle of the forest in her self-made tree house. She was always close to nature; her zanpaktou were wolves for god sake. She had help from Akane and Masaru, even though she said that she didn't need any help. It was two stories, once she got in the house she would let them roam free around the house. Yup, she summoned her Shunkai every time she came home.

Once she stepped into her house, she dropped her sword by the door and went to her room to sleep.

/

Masaru and Hikari sat under a tree for hours talking about Bankai.

"So… the two of us have achieved Bankai?" Hikari asked. Masaru nodded.

"What to do?" Masaru pondered. Hikari unsheathed her sword, and placed it at his neck.

"We train." Masaru smirked and shunpoed away from Hikari and her sword.

"There must be a stage of zanpaktou release even further than Bankai. Have you not ever wondered if there is?" he continued. She stopped her movements and stared at him.

"What do you mean, 'higher then Bankai'?" She asked. She stabbed her sword into the soft earth.

"I mean, a recreation of something greater; something more powerful…" He thought for a few seconds, "Something that could tear Soul Society apart." Hikari stared at him.

"You're fucking insane… Even though we have Bankai, doesn't mean we gonna master it fast enough to learn something that doesn't even exists."

"But it does." She looked at him.

"What are you talking about…?"

"Its called Shunkai." He watched her face look from pissed off to confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Shunkai: The manifestation of your Zanpaktou's spirit from the wielder's inner world."

"Could you go into more detail?" She was interested now.

"Imagine your wolves coming out from your sword to fight by your side, and still have the ability to use Shikai and Bankai." She looked at him.

"Is that even possible?"

"One man did it years ago, but died trying." Hikari looked at him with disbelief.

"And you think it's going to work for us?"

"He never mastered Bankai." Hikari thought about this, "So… What do you say?" He stood up and looked through the trees, "Let's become the only two people in the Soul Society to have Shunkai!" He now looked at her.

"Let's do this shit!"

/

She stood there by her bed, not wanting to sleep. She heard a knock on the door and she sighed. Another knock came up, only louder and it sound like someone was going to break down her door.

She sighed and got up; not really wanting to deal with people right now.

She swung open the door, "What?" She snapped. There stood Ikkaku and Akane. Akane finally got her Lieutenants badge on her right arm and she held something in her left.

"You live here?" Ikkaku asked. Hikari sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I do... ever since I joined Squad Eleven." She walked away, leaving the door open for them to come in. Akane was accustom to Hikari's unruly attitude, and just walked in as calmly as she can.

"Would you like me to help you with your hair?" Hikari fingered her now short hair.

"… I… Sure..." She was still not used to the short hair. Akane walked up to Hikari and lead her to the kitchen. She made Hikari sit at the table as she went through drawers to try and find the scissors. Ikkaku looked around the house then at Hikari.

"You lived here during your time in Eleventh?" Hikari rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah... I needed to get the fuck away." Akane came back with the scissors. She positioned Hikari in the chair as she started to cut off the singed ends of her hair. Hikari breathed as she felt her hair grow shorter and shorter. Akane cut the last parts of her hair and put the scissors down.

"There..." Hikari nodded as she got up and went to the mirror. It was cut shaggy and it waved and hugged her neck. She looked so different now that she has short hair. Hell, Masaru killed four feet of her hair in that attack. She sighed and ran her hand through her newly short hair. She walked back to the two.

"What did you come here for?" Hikari went to the pantry and pulled out a granola bar. Akane went back to the front door and picked up the bag and came back; handing it to Hikari. Hikari looked at it weirdly as she opened the bag. She pulled out the Captain's Haori and stared at the emblem on the back. Akane walked towards the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Captain." Akane walked out of the house. Hikari sighed as she looked at the Haori. She looked at Ikkaku and sighed again.

"And you?" Ikkaku looked at her then shook his head.

"The Captain General want to see you in the meeting later. Something about your Shunkai?" Hikari nodded as she looked at the Haori again.

"Whatever... You can show yourself out." She walked out of the kitchen and back to her room. On her bed, Akarui and Kage laid near each other for warmth. The looked up at her and their ears perked up. Hikari shook her head and placed the Haori on the bed, where the two wolves sniffed it. They snarled at it.

"Master! It smells!" Akarui snarled as she growled at it and the fur on her back stood up. Kage looked at it as if he was going to tear it up. Hikari looked at them ans shrugged.

"Don't make it not wearable." Akarui and Kage started to rip the ends to pieces and rub there fur on it; trying to get Masaru's scent off of it. Hikari seemed to relax at the sounds of their growls as she looked in the mirror, "I'm gonna kill him." Akarui and Kage lifted their heads and looked at their master, "First he betrays a whole squad, then he leaves Akane!" She snarled, "Then he goes and ruins my hair and leave the responsibility of a Captain to me?" She hit the wall with the side of her fist and Akarui and Kage barked and growled at each other, "Shut the hell up!" She walked to her closet and changed her clothes.

"Master? You're Captain now? You can use that to your advantage!" Akarui licked her paw as she jumped from the bed with the Haori dragging from her mouth. Hikari walked out in a black, torn up, mid riff tank top with a white one much smaller underneath. She still wore her tight black jeans but added the buckle up boots. She grabbed the Haori from Akarui's jaw and scratched her ear, "Thanks, girl..." She slipped on the coat and grabbed her sword. She looked at the two, and watched them disappear in black and white light. She watched the sword glow before walking out to the Captain's meeting, as a Captain.

/

Hikari was the last one in the room. She took her place next to Captain Kurotsuchi.

"We will now start the Captain's meeting." Yamamoto looked at Hikari, "Hikari Kyaro, step forward." She sighed and did as she was told. 'Prepare for questions...' Hikari thought as she looked at him with a blank face. Soi Fon spoke up first.

"What is your right eye, exactly?" She questioned. Hikari sighed and removed her eye patch, causing a burst of spiritual pressure to burst.

"My right eye is the eye of a Hollow, " She knew everyone was listening now, "I got it on my first mission in Zaraki's Squad." She put the eye patch back on and the pressure in the air became relax and calm again, "Caius has my other eye." She sighed as she looked at her new lieutenant.

"Do you know anything about Masaru's plans?" Hikari shook her head. She winced as she felt Akarui and Kage fight. Kurotsuchi spoke this time.

"What is this Shunkai you and Masaru can summon?" Hikari sighed in relief as she unsheathed her sword and stabbed it on the ground. Seconds later, two large wolves broke down the door with their fighting and their throat biting. Hikari turned to them, "Jūbun!" The two wolves rolled onto the floor before stopping there own fight. They looked at Hikari and sat strait.

"Master!" They both bellowed. They sat with there back strait and there eyes on Hikari. Hikari sighed as she looked at Kurotsuchi.

"Does that answer your question."

"Not quite. You see, in the database, there was one man who tried to achieve Shunkai, but died trying to get it." Hikari scoffed.

"He didn't have Bankai. He was signing his own death wish." Kurotsuchi continued.

"How did you achieve this stage?" Hikari looked at him.

"Me and Masaru achieved it together back when he just joined the Kido Corps and I was assigned to Zaraki's Squad." Hikari licked her lips and Akarui and Kage started to growl at each other. Soon enough there were fighting each other again. Hikari sighed as she watched them. Kage held Akarui by her scruff and slammed her into the ground.

"You don't know anything about the way she fights!" Akarui wriggled her way out from Kage's grasp.

"I'm her primer Wolf!" She growled as the circled each other. Hikari had enough of them.

"Akarui! Kage! Shut your traps!" The two wolves growled at each other but listened to their Master. Hikari looked at Yamamoto.

"Anything else, Sir?" Akarui and Kage held their heads up high as Hikari spoke. Yamamoto nodded.

"Dismissed!"

/

Hikari sighed as she walked into her house, and dropped her Haori on the floor, along with her shirt and her pants. Akarui and Kage stared at her.

"Master? Why are you striping in the middle of the house?" Hikari scoffed.

"It's not like anyone's in the house..." Hikari walked away.

"Yeah... That's why I'm in here.' Hikari turned to see Ikkaku standing in her hallway. She looked at him.

"The fuck are you doing in my house?" She didn't care if he saw her half naked, she used to share the men's showers. Ikkaku sighed.

"Captain said you looked stressed." Hikari scoffed.

"He only care about that fight I'm supposed to give him." Ikkaku sighed again.

"Whatever. I'll see you when ever." Hikari watched him leave and she felt... empty...

Hikari scoffed and went to the kitchen. On the counter, a single black Calla Lily.

/

FINALLY DONE! So happy on how this came out!

As you can see... This is mostly about Hikari and her emotions... I guess...

Hikari: *snarls* What type emotions you talking about, Red?

Red: *sighs* Pain; confusion... love...

Hikari: That's it, I'm out! *leaves*

Red: No wait! *turns to reader* Please review! *Runs after Hikari*


	14. Assault on Las Noches

**Assault on Las Noches**

**X Five Months Later X**

Soi Fon strode calmly over to the restrained Arrancar in the center of the Squad 2 barracks. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!" she cried and her zanpaktou melded into her intimidating dagger that enclosed around the middle finger of her right hand.

"Do you have any information on the activities of Sosuke and Masaru Aizen?" she asked her voice deadly quiet.

"I won't say a thing," he snarled at her spitting at her feet. Soi Fon narrowed her eyes an raised her hand beckoning to the guards beside the man. The Arrancar was battered with a barrage of blows from each and they both stepped back to their designated posts beside him.

The Arrancar rasped in breath the wind knocked from him and he glared furiously up at her. Soi Fon flashed stepped aside just as a huge ray of deadly scarlet energy pulsated from his mouth sailing past Soi Fon. Soi Fon stepped forward and delivered a hard kick to the side of his face and grabbed him by his hair slamming his face into the courtyard three times.

She stepped back allowing the weight of his injuries sink in, watching him for any sudden moves. "Do you honestly think they care about me? I'm a Fraccion. They aren't going to burst in here guns a blazing and rescue me," he laughed.

"Have it your way," she said quietly defeated and stepped forward jabbing him sharply twice in the chest and he exploded in a burst of blinding crimson light.

She turned to the presence of her new lieutenant, "He didn't talk, Rin."

The woman lowered her scarlet hood letting her jet-black locks tumble to her chest. "We'll just have to capture another one," she sighed.

Soi Fon smiled slightly, "You make it sound easy."

"Easy enough," sighed Rin. She placed her hand on her zanpaktou, "I'm surprised he hasn't ordered a strike yet against Hueco Muendo."

"In due time," sighed Soi Fon, "While we've been waiting for them to make the first move he's probably restored his whole army again."

"I'm sure the Captain Commander is aware," said Rin, "In the end he'll make the final call."

"Of course," said Soi Fon, "I almost always agree with the Head Captain's decisions, but…" she trailed off."

"I understand," said Rin quietly.

A hell butterfly drifted over into the courtyard and landed on Soi Fon's left index finger. She stood quiet for a moment and nodded, beckoning to her lieutenant, "Captain's meeting all lieutenants are too attend as well. Let's head over to the Squad 1 Barracks," she said.

Rin nodded and followed suit after Soi Fon into shunpo and flash-stepped away.

**X**

Captain Kyaro Hikari shoved the doors to the captain commander's office open and made her place in line next to Jushiro. Rukia stood at his side faithfully quiet staring ahead until all of the captains had arrived.

Akane stood beside Hikari patiently refusing to make eye contact with anyone. The doors slid open again and the remainder of the captains poured in, even Kenpachi and Yachiru showed up. Yachiru hopped off Kenpachi's back and leapt across the room in front of Yamamoto. She looked up at him smiling bigly.

Yamamoto glanced down at her with cold intent. Yachiru suddenly reached up and grabbed his beard gently tugging on it. Yamamoto glared at her coldly but amusement twinkled in his eyes. Kenpachi snapped, "Yachiru get over here."

Yamamoto slammed his staff on the bamboo boards twice and silence filled the room, "We are here to address the growing situation with Aizen. Finally, the time has come to decide a course of action against the Aizens."

"We need to send in a strike force to check out the growing situation. We need to end this once and for all," said Soi Fon.

Yamamoto nodded, "I want almost every captain and lieutenant going in. Kill as many as you can or seriously injure them. No more battles for honor strike all together I want this over at once."

Hikari nodded, "We'll leave at once."

Yamamoto raised his hand, "Wait a minute, I'm not finished. Do not underestimate the Aizens it will result in your untimely death. Do not attempt to defeat Sosuke Aizen all of you know it is impossible."

Hikari nodded and then glared at everyone present in the room, "Let me make this clear, absolutely no one but Squad 14 is to fight Masaru Aizen. "

Byakuya laughed and everyone looked at him eyes wide, "Get in line."

Hikari snapped back around narrowing her eyes, "This is a matter of revenge not preserving your damn Kuchiki clan pride."

Byakuya started to speak but Yamamoto barked, "Enough," he frowned and continued, "Masaru Aizen is far more powerful than many of us. His zanpaktou and skill in Kido prove his tremendous strength. He can wield any of our powers with ease."

Rukia finally spoke up interrupting the captain, "There is one person whose powers he can't control."

"Hmm," said Yamamoto coldly, "and who might that be?"

The doors to his office flew open and the last guard toppled revealing Ichigo in the doorway with his zanpaktou braced on his shoulders, "Me."

**X**

Aizen stood amongst the ruins of Las Noches beside his repaired throne. The fifth tower one of the only last untouched remnants of Las Noches. Masaru stood beside his father glancing down at the Hogyoku fused within his chest.

"The Gotei 14 will mobilize any day now," said Aizen, "Now is the time to rebuild my army."

"We better move quickly," said Masaru, "They are making their move now."

"I expected as much," laughed Aizen.

Masaru nodded, "Their might be a way to bring back your old army," he said quietly.

"The Gates of Hell?" asked Aizen knowingly.

"Yes," said Masaru, "We only need a way to summon them."

"Bring me Caius," said Aizen after a moment.

"As you wish," said Masaru sonidoeing down to the open doorway at the far end of the room.

**X**

Mayuri laughed as fourteen gargantuans opened in front of the Soul Reapers present and Soul Reapers surged inside one by one eager to arrive to Hueco Muendo in one piece. Hikari and Akane lead their squad into their designated gargantuan.

Mayuri sighed watching the Soul Reapers start to overcrowd in their portals, "Idiots," he mumbled disappearing into the bleak darkness of his own portal with Nemu.

The gargantuans slammed shut and Yamamoto watched them depart his haori billowing in the breeze. He turned to a messenger, "Summon the Kido Corps."

~Outside Las Noches~

Aizen peered out of the hole in the fifth tower down at the vast sea of sand surrounding his precious palace. His eyes widened as fourteen huge gargantuans ripped open outside of Las Noches. He turned away smiling, "They certainly arrived earlier than expected."

**X**

Masaru sonidoed on top of a sand dune staring down into a small sandstone canyon. He scanned the cliffs spotting a cave and feeling the spiritual power radiating from it. He sonidoed inside to see the dancing flames of a campfire illuminating the cave. Caius sat beside the campfire finally looking up to see Masaru standing there,

He unsheathed his zanpaktou standing up, "YOU!" he roared charging at him. Masaru dodged with ease and delivered a powerful kick to his side and he flew across the cave and struck the wall hard. Caius grunted and regained himself his fury growing stronger.

Masaru narrowed his eyes his voice lowering laced with coldness and contempt, "Lord Aizen would like to speak with you."

Caius' fury dissipated immediately, "L-Lord Aizen has returned to Hueco Muendo?"

"Yes," said Masaru quietly, "I helped him escape his imprisonment."

"W-Why you're the enemy," he said confused.

"Because Lord Aizen is my father," said Masaru turning away for the cave entrance, "Now are you coming or not?"

Caius nodded and sonidoed out of the cave after him and across the sea of sand towards Las Noches. Masaru kept up his pace easily outmatching Caius's and soon the towers came in sight. Suddenly, spiritual pressure ripped through the sand bringing Caius to his knees, "WHAT IS THIS?"

Masaru winced slightly and laughed, "The Soul Reapers have arrived!"

Caius jumped back to his feet redoubling his efforts to make it back to Hueco Muendo. Masaru leapt up in the air soaring up alongside the fifth tower until he reached the hole in the wall and landed in a crouch inside. A minute later, Caius burst through the hole kneeling before Aizen.

"Ah Caius you've arrived," said Aizen his back still turned to them, "It seems I have a small task for you."

"May I inquire as to what it is my lord?" asked Caius.

Masaru turned away from the two hearing the sound of the approaching Soul Reapers, "Bei de watashi no teki o hoji suru," he whispered.

A shimmering barrier enveloped the entire room dividing the massive hall in half. Aizen smiled as the shinigami burst in with Hikari and Akane at the head. An unseated soul reaper from Squad 5 rushed forward with his zanpaktou raised and raced across the hall towards Masaru unaware of the barrier. Hikari saw the faint glint in the center of the room and cried out to late, "STOP YOU IDIOT!"

The soul reaper slammed into the barrier disintegrating instantly and his sword clattered to the floor corroded and melting from the impact with the barrier. Masaru laughed at the Soul Reaper's before him. "Frustrating isn't it only to come this far to stop as something as minor as a Kido barrier is stopping you from your goal."

Hikari narrowed her eyes, "Bankai." Flames erupted from her falcate and blasted the barrier repeatedly. Masaru turned away as the flames grew too intense to watch. Aizen turned finally to Caius and Hikari's eyes widened as the flames subsided and she saw the familiar mane of purple hair beside Aizen.

Aizen smiled cruelly down on Caius, "You have the honors of resurrecting my Espada Army."

Caius reached for his sword too late and Kyoka Suigetsu lashed out slicing deep into his chest and stabbed straight into his heart. Aizen twisted the blade inside shredding his vitals. Blood pooled out around Caius and he choked out one last thing as the room fell silent, "I-I guess we don't get a rematch fight Hikari."

Hikari watched stunned as he slumped to the floor dead before he struck the marble platform. Aizen laughed as Masaru turned chanting, "Jigoku no mon wa,-zai no gisei o ukeireru yō ni hyōji sa remasu!"

Black wisps of reiatsu swirled around the two as a huge black gate rose from the ground emblazoned with blood red door with skeletons covering them. The doors swung open and Caius's corpse was sucked inside leaving a trail of blood to the gates. The gates groaned as they began to close but Masaru was quicker, "Hyapporankan!"

A glowing rod flashed out of his hand and exploded into a hundred smaller ones and extended as the pierced through the doors holding them open. A faint light glowed from the darkness within and ten silhouettes could be made out within. Starrk, Barragan, and Ulquiorra sonidoed into the hall followed by Nnoitora, Grimmjow, and Syazelapporo. Aarionaro and the Ochoto Espada. Yammy passed through last with a huge grin as he stared down at the shinigami he towered over.

Ichigo burst into the room, "N-no. Nooo. Noooooo."

Aizen laughed as Fraccion began to file out behind them. Masaru turned as Senzonbakura barraged his barrier and it began to crack spotting the weakness Hikari joined her flames barraging the barrier. Ichigo smiled and whispered, "Bankai!"

"Getsugatensho!" roared Ichigo running at the barrier. The black and crimson energy shredded the severely weakened barrier and it exploded into a million of dazzling shards.

Masaru gave the shinigami no time and turned to the Espada, "Kill them all."

Hikari burst out of the remnants of Ichigo's swirling dark reiatsu and slashed viciously at Masaru's throat. He dodged barely and roared, "Haineko!"

Ash burst off his blade and enveloped Hikari. He hacked and slashed with the now empty hilt. The ash slashed at Hikari and she flash-stepped away barely in time still receiving a vicious cut on the shoulder. He turned around smiling, "Do I need to _burn _you again?" he asked tauntingly.

Hikari screeched in rage and fire exploded off of her swords. "Danku," he whispered and the flames slammed against the barrier dissipating after a while.

Masaru slashed twice beating her back and several ice dragons burst off of his sword snaking around the room to attack Hikari from all directions. She dodged barely and burned through the final dragon threatening to swallow her up. "Electrocute, Ampheres!" roared Makoto clutching his bandaged side. A huge bolt of energy sailed across the hall and struck Masaru in the chest.

Masaru was blasted across the room crashing through several pillars and collapsing in a sprawled heap by the hole in the tower. Aizen spun around his expression softening at seeing Masaru laying there and unsheathed his zanpaktou his eyes narrowing at Makoto and Hikari. Masaru jumped back to his feat gasping and sonidoed back to the two.

"Kazeshini!" he cried slashing with Hisagi's shikai at Hikari and Makoto.

Makoto doubled back giving way to the spinning scythe battering his defenses. Hikari tossed her falcate into the air and cried, "SHUNKAI!"

Her wolves burst free from her sword and a black and white blade formed off a thin bolt of reiatsu released from the two wolves. She attacked Masaru alongside Akurai and Kage slashing fiercely at Masaru. Makoto stabbed Masaru in the back and ripped his blade free shocked he actually landed a blow. Masaru whipped around and delivered a sharp kick to the side of his head knocking him into the ground. Water surged toward him and sent him reeling sliding across the hall. Akane stood with water swirling around her forming into a liquid serpent.

Masaru's intense gaze softened seeing her and he sonidoed away up beside Aizen. Ulquiorra strode over to them unsheathing his zanpaktou and stood silently before sonidoeing behind Makoto and cut him down from behind. Akane attacked her serpent lashing out and attacking Ulquiorra. He lashed out with a powerful Cero blasting the serpent apart into a huge puddle. He sonidoed forward and slashed Akane across the chest dropping her to the floor.

Ulquiorra turned on Hikari too late and her wolves tackled him to the ground. "ENOUGH!" roared Ichigo, "Getsugatensho!" Black and red energy swept through the room vaporizing the Fraccion immediately and blasting the Espada off their feet.

**X**

Yamamoto barked to the entire Kido Corp assembled in front of him, "Prepare the Kido Cannon!"

**A/N: An extra-long chapter for everyone! I hoped you enjoyed it The end is drawing near. The finale will be astounding in two parts I can assure you. Next chappy is part one of the finale. Review please! I can see everyone reading XD**


	15. It's All Over

Ulquiorra immediately sonidoed to his feet turning towards a panting Ichigo. He disappeared into thin air and reappeared behind Ichigo and brought his blade to bear with a flourish. "Die Kurosaki," he said calmly. His sword clashed against Ichigo's blade now protecting his back from any attacks.

Ichigo kicked out and sent Ulquiorra skidding across the white marble floor. Ulquiorra charged up a powerful Cero and released it in a massive pulsating ray demolishing the surrounding wall and opening the Fifth Tower to the false sense of daylight that resided in Las Noches. Ichigo released a burst of reiatsu from his pure black blade and Ulquiorra swatted it away with a flick of his wrist, "I underestimated you last time Kurosaki Ichigo. I won't this time," he snarled losing his calm demeanor.

Ichigo flash-stepped as Ulquiorra sonidoed for him and swung his blade in preparation with deadly black and crimson waves of energy emanating from it in a storm. Ulquiorra charged his own blade with a Cero Obscuros and the purple energy coiled into the red and black energy bathing Ichigo's own blade creating a powerful shockwave that blasted the two off of their feet and sent them hurtling across the room.

Ichigo groaned clutching his side and felt his hand bathed in blood and spared a glance down at the wound spotting several sharp pieces of rubble from the ruined columns poking out of his side. He pulled each out with a grimace and turned just in time to see Ulquiorra poised for attack, mere inches away from him. Ulquiorra slashed a triumphant smile spread across his lips and felt his blade sink into flesh and cleaved down with tremendous force, ripping through Ichigo like a hot knife through butter.

Ichigo howled and collapsed slamming his head on the ground slipping in his own growing pool of blood. Ulquiorra stalked over to him and flipped his blade over and raised it high, ready to deliver the final and fatal blow to end the fight.

He stabbed down with fury and found the ground bare. He whirled around his raven hair falling into his face and he spotted Rukia on the other side of the room clutching Ichigo close with her sword drawn and pointed at everything that came within attacking distance. Ulquiorra frowned, "Stupid girl," he muttered and raised his palm spraying three quick bursts of emerald energy resulting in huge explosions. Not waiting for the dust to settle, he produced a spear of crackling, purple energy and nimbly hurled it across the room into the settling carnage. Purple flames surged out and consumed a fairly large portion of the room in flames.

He sonidoed towards the chaos he had created and cut down every Shinigami in his path. "Idiots, get out of my way," he snapped blasting two unseated members of Squad 10 aside with two weak Cero blasts. He instinctively stabbed with his sword three times feeling the hot spray of blood splatter across his face from his unfortunate victims. Ulquiorra wiped the blood off of his pale complexion and continued on his path of destruction.

He squinted into the dimming plumes of thick black smoke and spotted two silhouettes still standing defiantly deep inside. Disbelief clouded Ulquiorra's eyes and he sonidoed into the smoke and snapped his legs in a clean, swift kick sending Rukia teetering away from Ichigo. He smashed the feeble barrier produced by a desperate Rukia and charged Ichigo and stabbed where his head should have been. Ichigo rolled free and jumped to his feet, uttering a silent scream of agony and his hand instantly clutched the wound unable to stop the blood pouring from it.

Ulquiorra gave a dark laugh, "No Hollow mask Kurosaki? You disappoint me."

Ichigo jumped back as Ulquiorra initiated his vicious onslaught again and struck again and again forcing him to give ground once more. Ichigo pivoted and clenched his hands into fists. "Alright Ulquiorra you asked for it," he muttered darkly. His hand flashed by his face leaving black reiatsu to mold into his Hollow mask. He sprinted forward with renewed vigor and delivered a flurry of blows and nipped Ulquiorra's shoulder. "A shallow cut," scoffed Ulquiorra, "You have lost your t-"

Ichigo rammed his sword hilt deep into Ulquiorra's left side, slipping neatly in between two of his ribs. Ulquiorra stared in disbelief at the blood welling from the wound and regained his senses and pulled himself free before he could do further internal damage with a simple twist. Ichigo howled triumphantly in his raspy Hollow screech attracting the attention of many pairs of eyes and jumped high in the air and slammed his feet into Ulquiorra's chest sending him hurtling through the massive hole in the ground from his Cero and Ulquiorra plummeted vanishing from sight.

Ichigo dove out of the tower after him and caught up with him the wind whipping about. His golden irises glowered at Ulquiorra's form and he vanished much to Ulquiorra's surprise and reappeared behind him impaling him twice and then flipped around him and shoved him sending his limp form through a low wall on the outskirts of Las Noches.

Ichigo squinted into the clouds of dust rising from the wreckage and spotted Ulquiorra's outline and two black leathery wings unfold from his back. "Resurrecion!" came Ulquiorra's voice barely audible echoing off of the ruined wall.

**X**

Grimmjow scanned over the carnage in the Fifth Tower spotting the scattered bodies of countless Soul Reapers and Fraccion lying lifeless all around the floor. Grimmjow smiled as Nnoitora snatched two Soul Reaper's swords from their grasp and impaled them into the wall blood dripping down their robed torsos onto the floor and their heads slumped, their shallow breaths fading into nothing.

Grimmjow spotted a mane of blackened hair flashing through the room cutting down the remaining surviving Fraccion relentlessly. Akurai and Kage dismembered several Fraccion and tossed their limbs in every direction. They turned their attention to him, low growls rumbling in their throats. Hikari turned her attention to Grimmjow and raised her eyebrows at his unsheathed sword. He sonidoed behind her and released a Cero and then reappeared above her blasting a more powerful Cero. He backflipped gracefully landed in front of her and slammed his fist into her stomach while she was preoccupied with fending off the lethal energy.

Hikari grunted and slid back a few feet and charged her black and white sword probing his defenses. She flash-stepped directly in front of him and slammed the hilt of her sword into his chest knocking him off balance. Grimmjow somersaulted away from a vicious blow and unsheathed his sword now cackling with insane bouts of laughter. "You're one crazy bitch," he laughed dodging a storm of Kido thrown his way. Akurai and Kage burst into flames and enveloped Grimmjow in a cone of black and white flames. The fires subsided leaving Grimmjow singed his jacket burnt away revealing the scar running in a jagged line down his chest left by Ichigo.

Grimmjow breathed heavily, his lungs damaged from smoke and his voice came out in ragged rasps, "I'm going to…kill you…you little bitch," he snarled taking heavy breaths.

Hikari smirked and flipped over him swatting him upside the head with her foot sending him tumbling across the room. Grimmjow held out a hand as she ran towards him and released a massive Cero blast. Hikari never broke stride and slid low to the floor underneath the deadly ray and dove back into a run as she steered free out of the Cero's path. Grimmjow rolled aside as her blade stabbed repeatedly where he had been. He dodged both Akurai and Kage and ran up a column out of their reach and propelled himself off it and tackled Hikari holding his blade against her throat.

"DON"T YOU TOUCH HER!" roared Ikkaku. He sprinted across the room his shikai in his grasp and slashed for Grimmjow's throat. Grimmjow backflipped off of her and his eyes flicked dangerously to Ikkaku and Hikari who was slowly rising to her feet glaring at Grimmjow.

Grimmjow smiled as neither of them moved and tossed his blade into the air. "Resurrecion, Pantera!" he laughed. The blade glowed white-hot and enveloped Grimmjow reforming his appearance into his cat-like form. Grimmjow sprinted out of the light surprising both Hikari and Ikkaku and delivered two powerful spin kicks to each of them and sent them reeling. He landed on one hand and cartwheeled back towards them in a hand spring and tackled Ikkaku his claws slicing into his sides. He leapt off to avoid Hikari's wrath and pivoted back around to attack and delivered a stinging blow across Hikari's right cheek.

She stumbled back and Akurai reappeared protecting her from imminent death. Kage tackled Grimmjow again as he jumped back to avoid Akurai and bit hard into his left arm and tossed him aside like a rag doll. Grimmjow slammed into the platform seating Aizen's throne and let out a loud grunt of pain and wiped a thin trickle of blood from his lips.

Grimmjow dodged Ikkaku as he broke stride out of a flash-step and stabbed with the spearhead on his shikai cracking the serene-looking white marble from the impact where his head should have been. Grimmjow kicked up and caught him in the stomach and sent him flailing through the air to tumble to Hikari's feet.

"You two are no match for me," spat Grimmjow with a mocking laugh.

"It doesn't seem that way," replied Hikari coldly and flash-stepped behind him stabbing him straight through the back. Grimmjow gasped and fell off the blade and sonidoed away leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Ikkaku spun around too late and felt the wrath of Grimmjow's claws yet again carving a shallow X into his chest.

Ikkaku gasped and dropped lying in a pool of blood quickly spreading. "IKKAKU!" screamed Hikari rushing to his fallen form. Grimmjow cackled with laughter and sprinted for Hikari. Seething with fury she swatted him aside and she turned on him with mad laughter her voice running cold with a hint of condescendence, "You want to see power? Come and get it!" She snatched off her scarlet eye patch and black and white energy rippled off of her tearing several nearby columns to shreds and blasting Grimmjow away from Ikkaku once more. "This is what you asked for!" she screeched and flash-stepped faster than ever and slashed viciously and relentlessly battering Grimmjow's defenses.

Desperately, he leapt up towards the ceiling and several green crystals popped out of the bone armor encasing his elbow unbeknownst to Hikari and took aim casually as she leapt to greet him with another storm of attacks. The crystals launched in rapid succession and struck Hikari. Hikari let out a painful whimper of agony and plummeted for the ground. Grimmjow roared in triumph and dropped to the floor beside Hikari who had crashed beside Ikkaku and she twitched a little trying to feel for any signs of life coming from him.

Darkness began to settle in and she spotted Grimmjow heading for Ikkaku first and her voice caught in her throat before she could scream at Grimmjow to leave him alone. Grimmjow spared one last look at her and smiled evilly and raised his blade to ensure Ikkaku was finished. Hikari spotted a mane of auburn hair flash into her field of vision and forced Grimmjow back.

Akane lashed out and her serpent formed out of the water puddled all over the floor from where she had fallen and split into multiple beasts surprising Grimmjow and attacked from all sides. Rukia rose from her spot and unleashed her Shikai freezing the water and trapping Grimmjow in an icy prison.

Renji jumped out of the fray and unleashed his bankai and cracked the end of the serpent and it twisted for the ice, "Hiho!" Renji's bankai opened its jaws into a gaping hole of darkness. Red energy charged in its jaws and fired at a frozen Grimmjow consuming the ice in its wake. Grimmjow collapsed battered and beaten and surprised everyone with another volley of crystals striking Renji, Rukia, and Akane at least twice and they collapsed instantly with him.

Hikari snapped awake and rose seeing smoke rising in thin plumes all around the ravaged room. She spotted Grimmjow unable to keep Pantera form anymore leaning against his zanpaktou for support and she raced for him and he barely blocked a flurry from blows. She swatted his blade out of his grasp and spun around and Akurai and Kage appeared at her side, "Shokubai no burēdo!" she said softly. Masaru's eyes fell on her in surprise. Tendrils of fire ripped off of Akurai and Kage and formed into burning swords. The wolves vanished consumed by fire and thousands of blades swirled around Hikari waited for her signal.

"For Ikkaku, you bastard," she whispered solemnly. The swords molded together to form a dragon completely formed out of violet fire and she pointed her sword at Grimmjow. The dragon shrieked out a cry similar to a Hollow and dove slamming into Grimmjow and wrapping around him into a maelstrom of fire. Grimmjow was consumed instantly and the flames subsided leaving nothing in its wake.

Hikari took several deep breaths before sheathing her sword and slumped falling into the void of unconsciousness and landed with a dull thud beside Ikkaku.

**X**

Soi Fon dispatched off two more Fraccion and immediately rolled aside as Barragan unleashed Respira. "RIN WATCH OUT!" she cried. Rin rolled free from the deadly haze and her zanpaktou flashed twice in a blur cutting down three Exequias charging her from behind.

Rin leapt back as Barragan attacked her directly his axe swinging viciously at her to disembowel her. Rin flipped over him and slashed her sword tearing his cloak from behind. He whirled around and unleashed Respira. He unleashed Respira with a triumphant cackle and Rin flash-stepped away. She yelped in surprise as her robes smoked and corroded; she quickly cut the disintegrating fabric free and leapt back to a safe distance.

Soi Fon flipped over a Fraccion and jabbed twice in the center of her back and shielded her eyes from the blinding crimson light. Rin dodged Findorr's efforts to bring a swift end to the fight and retaliated with a flurry of kicks and battered him away with ease. Abirama charged from behind and Rin deflected the attack and shoved him away. Poww and Charlotte struck as one flanking Rin and drove her back from protecting Soi Fon's back.

Rin sighed ducking and weaving under the relentless assault of Barragan's Fraccion and released her shikai, "Death to all enemies, Bimyōna doku!" Her blade formed into a hard, glossy black shell that protected her left arm that thinned out into a scorpion's stinger resting above her hand and coiled back around her neck and down her left arm to form a giant pincher.

Rin smiled deviously and the scorpion continued to grow forming an ornate helm that hovered over her hood. Rin flipped through the air at an angle bringing her barbed stinger down at Poww and it stabbed into his stomach injecting poison into his skin. Poww screamed and collapsed to the ground rolling around as if he was on fire.

Findorr backed away as her pincher snapped shut on Abirama's sword hand and crushed every bone running up his right arm with ease. "You have no idea who you are dealing with," said Rin with a mocking laugh. She flash-stepped behind Charlotte and her stinger lashed out for his back. Charlotte leapt high into the air avoiding her attack.

Rin lashed out with her pincher and clamped down on Poww's leg and tossed him into the air like a rag doll and flash-stepped up to him delivered a powerful kick crashing down on him from above and swatted him back to the ground. Poww crashed through the white marble floor leaving a massive crater and vanished into another level of the tower. Rin flash-stepped for Charlotte again and her stinger jabbed into his side. Charlotte howled in pain and his knees buckled threatening to give way.

Findorr chipped his mask to the strength of a lieutenant and unleashed his Resurrecion, "Engrave the surface of the water!" he cried. He hoisted his right pincher similar to a crab's and opened them wide firing a charged Cero from it with an indigo hue. Rin flash-stepped aside and the Cero blasted another hole in the wall by the entrance to the hall.

Rin flash-stepped in front of Findorr and her pincher lashed out for his throat. Findorr gasped in surprise and blocked it with his own pincher sending a shower of surprise. He jumped back a few paces and studied her from afar. Abirama released his own Resurrecion form and spread his wings sending a shower of razor sharp red feathers at Rin. Rin dodged them almost effortlessly and her stinger shot forward and jabbed into his left wing releasing the toxins inside of it. The feathers withered and turned black and the wing smoked before disintegrating into mounds of ash.

"Better be careful there Abirama," taunted Rin, "The effects of the venom increase the more you are stung by my shikai."

Findorr took the time to activate his second-stage, "Tijeras Neptunea!" A torrent of water surged out of his pincher at Rin's exposed back. Rin jumped aside and the pressurized water struck Charlotte. Charlotte's shrieks of agony subsided and he lay still, sprawled on the cool marble floor. Findorr winced and shot another torrent of water to protect himself as her pincher whipped around to attack.

Rin forced it through seeing the cracks appearing in her exoskeleton-like armor and the pincher broke through the wall of pressurized water and jabbed Findorr in the stomach releasing its damaging toxins. Findorr kicked Rin away and shot fifty Bala at her to ward her away. Poww rose from the hole in the ground finally exposing his true form and he snatched up Rin and held her inches from his face. Rin struggled against his iron grip and then her stinger coiled and jabbed him ten times. Poww dropped her instantly screaming in agony as his hand withered and burnt away consumed by the venom.

"Bad idea," she groaned clutching her side when she hit the ground.

Charlotte coughed and spluttered rising to join the fray once more. Rin grumbled and charged catching Abirama in the side twice again with her stinger. He collapsed on the ground twitching in spasms rocking his whole body. Rin's stinger coiled up again and launched stinging him in the heart and he withered and burnt away slowly his shrieks of agony suspended in the air over the sounds of battle.

"One down, three to go!" she said rather unenthusiastically.

Findorr unleashed several more quick blasts of pressurized water. Rin whirled around using the growing armor now covering her back as protection and winced as the shell-like armor heated up from the blasts hitting their mark. Rin whirled back around and caught Charlotte just about to use Resurrecion form and her pinchers closed around his throat and hoisted him off of the ground easily.

Charlotte struggled and swung his sword wildly but the blade rebounded off of the shell in a shower of sparks and fell from his grasp. Rin laughed and jabbed at Findorr playfully keeping him at bay. Rin tightened her grip and the loud cracking of bones filled the room along with a spray of blood accompanying it.

Rin turned on Findorr and Poww, "Who's next?" she asked.

Findorr charged and unleashed a torrent of water that blasted Rin off of her feet. Poww was ready and brought his huge fist crashing down ready to crush her like a bug on the spot. Findorr retaliated with another series of attacks and fired off several more Bala. Rin nimbly dodged and weaved through the Bala and her stingers swung around for Findorr again.

Findorr snapped the crab-like claw shut and blocked the stinger from coming near his body. Rin grunted as Poww's remaining hand slammed into her side and sent her tumbling across the hall. Poww let out a low victorious chuckle and raised his fist for the final blow. Rin rolled free as he slammed his fist down once more, crashing through several feet of thick marble.

Findorr was ready and sonidoed into the air releasing a steady stream of pressurized water at her before Rin was ready and she was blasted back off her feet hissing in pain as she barely managed to deflect most of the attack away from her body.

Findorr let out a dark laugh and chinked away more of his mask to captain's level. He pointed the massive crab pincher at Rin, "Time to finish this," he spat with determination. A thin, stream of pressurized water encircled Rin in a sphere. Rin reached forward gently outstretching her scorpion pincher to touch the whirling wall of water trapping her. She instantly recoiled and stumbled back, her pincher smoking. Almost as if on cue, the water began to press inward making the space between her and the lethal water smaller and smaller.

Findorr's cruel laughs echoed in her ears and she dropped to her knees almost as if about to pray, "BANKAI!" she roared over the howling of the water. Raw reiatsu tore the deadly sphere to shreds and blasted Findorr off of his feet. Findorr hissed in disbelief his eyes widening as Rin walked out of the subsiding water. A black visor similar to the texture of the scorpion shell of her shikai obscured her face from view. She had two pinchers now and four stingers ran down her back from her helm like braids. She flash-stepped forward her speed extremely enhanced.

Findorr let out a gasp of surprise and leapt back. Rin attacked stabbing with all of her stingers at once while jabbing at his defenses with her lethal pinchers. Findorr let out a massive torrent of water pushing Rin back away from him. Her voice came out from behind the visor, almost sounding Hollow-like, "Death God form, Messenger of Death!"

Rin transformed most of the armor shaping into two long swords sheathed into the shell-like armor encasing her back. She pulled two short scythes from her side and attacked repeatedly slicing at Findorr. "You'll never pierce my shell," he gloated with a laugh.

Rin's eyes narrowed and thick purple reiatsu charged onto her scythes. She slashed at full power slicing off the crab-like claw and sinking deep into the crustacean-like shell encasing Findorr's body. Blood spurted from the severe wounds and pooled at his feet. Findorr dissipated out of his Resurrecion form unable to maintain it any longer and leaned against his zanpaktoun glowering at Rin from afar, "I-I…must…not..fail…and…disappoint…his…majesty," he gasped and charged her holding his sword in his left hand. Rin said nothing and sheathed her scythes and yanked her swords off of her back. She braced them in an X and scissored off Findorr's head at the neck.

Barragan let out a gasp of surprise as Findorr fell and Rin looked up at him a faint smile crossing her lips hidden from behind the black visor. She flipped into the air dodging the inevitable punch from Poww and raced up his arm backwards and hand-springed to face him her stingers jabbing at every inch of flesh they could possibly reach. Poww howled in pain his flesh starting to blacken and Rin leapt off of his arm being rocked by spasms and brought her two broadswords into his thick skull and ripped down slashing down the expanse of his body in the blink of an eye and ripped her blades free landing gracefully on both feet. Poww exploded into a burst of reiatsu and faded away like mist in the air.

Soi Fon smiled at Barragan's expression appalled from witnessing every one of his reborn Fraccion die at the hands of a girl. "You underestimated my lieutenant it seems," laughed Soi Fon mockingly. She darted around Barragan avoiding his sudden fury fueled by bursts of Respira. He whirled on her the pommel of his axe slamming into her stomach and she flew into the wall and slid down it neatly dropping into a crouch slightly wincing.

"You seem to be forgetting Soi Fon," started Barragan with a laugh, "You barely managed to defeat me last time."

"Wrong, I just was concerned with unleashing the full power of my bankai and wiping everything off of the map along with everyone save myself present at the Winter War," she replied coldly.

"As if this is a better place to release it," he crowed.

Soi Fon smiled, "Exactly," she replied. Lightning flared off of her fingertips and blasted Barragan out of the tower and she flash-stepped after him reinforcing her kick with Kido. Barragan crashed into a sand dune just outside the South Wall protecting Las Noches. Soi Fon landed in a roll and jumped to her feet.

"It's time for the real show Barragan," she said, "Bankai," she continued in a hushed whisper. Suzemebachi transformed into a massive rocket launcher and she took aim restraining him with Kido, "Fire," she said coldly. The launcher released its first missile and she flash-stepped out of the blast radius watching the resulting explosion culminate in front of her. The Third Tower caved with a mighty groan severely weakened from the blast and toppled onto Barragan.

Smoke billowed thickly up towards the false sky gathering in clouds from being unable to escape Las Noche's false sense of sunlight. Soi Fon took great, purposeful strides to Barragan. She surveyed the wreckage looking for any sides of him. A skeletal hand burst out of a pile of rubble left by the tower and tightened its grip around her throat catching her by surprise. Barragan glided out of the wreckage still in Arrogante form. "Respira," he hissed in her face. Soi Fon panicked and planted a swift kick upside his head redirecting the deadly stream away and she pried his hand off of her throat and flash-stepped away gasping for air.

Barragan let out a low laugh, "It'll take more than that to kill me," he taunted. Soi Fon glowered at him and reiatsu swirled around her pooling into a cylindrical shape on her launcher and formed a new missile. She flash-stepped back a few paces, "Take two," she said with a sly smile while squinting down her launcher's sights. The missile launched and Barragan glided forward shooting Respira clouds at it and slipped under the massive explosive and brought his axe to bear swinging wildly for her. Soi Fon jumped over the blow and slammed the muzzle of her launcher into his chest driving him back.

"You leave me no choice," she whispered loud enough for him only to hear. A third, larger missile reloaded with several fins and metallic protrusions attached to main portion of the explosive and she took aim as he charged her. She flash-stepped into the air and Barragan flew after her in pursuit eager to end the fight once and for all and exact his revenge on his killer.

Soi Fon took a deep breath before casting a Bakudo spell, "Rikujōkōrō!" Six huge beams of pale yellow light slammed into Barragan's skeletal chest loading in between gaps in his ribcage and froze him in place. His arms snapped to his side and he dropped his axe unwillingly, watching it plummet back to the sand below. He struggled against the spell but Soi Fon continued chanting the incantations for several more spells, "Sajō Sabaku! Kuyō Shibari! Tozanshō!" she cried pointing her outstretched palms at an already bound Barragan.

Chains formed out of golden reiatsu materialized out of her palms and coiled around Barragan binding him tighter together. Eight black holes encircled Barragan and a ninth manifested in the center of his chest where his heart should have been immobilizing him further and drawing his excess reiatsu and spirit power from him. Soi Fon vanished behind an inverted pyramid of crystal and slid her launcher into the hole in the pyramid and pulled the trigger letting the missile fly free for its intended target. Soi Fon gasped feeling massive amounts of energy sapped from her and leaned against the Kido protecting her from the imminent blast.

Barragan let out a stream of curses his empty eye sockets staring expressionless at the missile rocketing for him. The missile broke into pieces splitting into a large one and hundreds of smaller missiles shooting for Barragan. Barragan let out an animalistic cry of fury and the missiles made impact sucking him into a massive blast. Smaller blasts cultivated after the main explosion and gathered up in a fury and surged into the sky before releasing all of the pent up power and reiatsu outward towards Soi Fon. The blast slammed against the protective pyramid and threw Soi Fon off of her feet. The First and Second Towers instantly vanished in the storm of napalm and when the flames finally subsided Soi Fon felt Barragan's reiatsu fade to nothing confirming his death.

Soi Fon leaned against her zanpaktou having returned to its normal state and shattered the pyramid with ease flash-stepping back to the war-torn Fifth Tower.

**X**

Byakuya unsheathed his zanpaktou after blasting several Fraccion with Kido and released his shikai, Senbonzakura. Cherry blossom petals swept through the room and enveloped the Exequias summoned by Aizen. Rudborn let out a howl of fury and released hasty Cero in Byakuya's general direction vanishing in the storm of petals. Blood splattered everywhere and seeped out beneath the frenzy of blossoms and stopped several feet away from Byakuya. He sheathed his sword and flash-stepped aside as Syazelaporro slashed for his exposed throat.

Syazelaporro laughed and sonidoed out of the reach of a Hado thrown his way and released a powerful Cero vaporizing his own Fraccion in the process. Byakuya landed with grace on a leaning column about to topple at any given moment. "You just sacrificed your own subordinates?! Disgraceful," he spat with his calm demeanor still in his tone.

Syazelaporro frowned and sonidoed at him locking blades with Byakuya in a shower of sparks. "Watch your step _shinigami_," snarled Syazelaporro and he kicked the column out with Byakuya on it. Byakuya jumped off and fired a well-aimed Shakkaho at Syazelaporro. The crackling ball of red energy struck him in the chest releasing a large blast that burnt away his jacket. Byakuya wasted no time. "Shitotsu Sansen!" he muttered. Three golden beaks of energy shrieked across the hall forming an equilateral triangle of energy and pinned Syazelaporro against the wall.

"Hyapporankan!" he cried. A rod of sterling silver energy crackled to life in Byakuya's right hand and he hurled it at Syazelaporro watching the rod split into a hundred smaller rods before they all struck pinning every inch of Syazelaporro against the marble wall.

"Sōren Sōkatsui!" roared Byakuya, "Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!" he continued. Twin jets of blue flame engulfed Syazelaporro and Byakuya continued sending a massive blue lightning bolt at Syazelaporro. A massive explosion rippled across the room and Byakuya put up a temporary Kido barrier to contain the blast.

Syazelaporro burst out of the barrier pulling several rods out of his chest. "Bastard," he snarled and swung his zanpaktou at Byakuya twice.

Byakuya flash-stepped behind him and stabbed him in the back before returning to his original position and lunging for his chest. Syazelaporro slapped his sword out of his hand and stabbed at Byakuya again. Byakuya flash-stepped out of his reach, "Ōkasen!"

A wide arc of yellow energy pulsated out of Byakuya's palm and knocked Syazelaporro to the ground leaving him writhing on the cool floor in agony. Byakuya retrieved his zanpaktou and stabbed where Syazelaporro's head was. Syazelaporro rolled free and released his Resurrecion form. Byakuya frowned as tendril-like magenta wings sprouted with tiny sacs hanging at uneven intervals. "Prepare to die, shinigami," laughed Syazelaporro coldly.

"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" said Byakuya coolly. His sword slipped into the floor vanishing from sight. Syazelaporro stepped back unsure of Byakuya having not had the chance to analyze his fights before he had died in his private laboratory. A row of massive blades rose out of the ground and began to glow a faint hue of pink. Byakuya pointed two fingers forward and darkness swept over the room instantly. The blades exploded into millions of cherry blossoms and the petals surged around Byakuya thundering straight for Syazelaporro.

Syazelaporro vanished in the midst of the pink storm and a few drops of blood penetrated the walls of blossoms and landed at Byakuya's feet. Byakuya snatched a sword off of the wall of words encircling him and summoned the petals away from Syazelaporro temporarily. He sprinted forward and slashed for his head and let go and summoned another stabbing Syazelaporro in the stomach. Syazelaporro swung one of his wings around a sac opened sucking him in. Syazelaporro let out a cruel laugh while trying to stem the blood flowing from his wounds and the sac opened again spitting him out drenched in a strange violet, liquid.

Byakuya brushed himself off in disgust and looked up with the snap of a vial and watched him produce an organ-shaped pill. Syazelaporro laughed and crushed it between his fingers. Byakuya gasped and collapsed to his knees gagging and clutching his side. "I warned you shinigami! Hmm what to destroy next. How about your kidneys-"

Byakuya pointed his sword forward and the blossoms swarmed Syazelaporro and sliced off his hand at the wrist. The vial of pills dropped to the marble floor and shattered sending pills in all directions. Byakuya drove Syazelaporro away from the pills and retrieved several and placed them within the folds of his haori. Syazelaporro grimaced limping out of the subsiding petals and limped toward a heart shaped pill a few feet ahead of him. Byakuya blasted him back with a quick Byakurai and retrieved the pill.

Byakuya took several steps forward and took a glowing pink sword from the sphere surrounding himself and Syazelaporro and pointed it into the air, "Final form," he said softly. The pink faded into a sizzling bolt of sterling silver spirit energy and dragon wings formed out of energy appeared behind him with a halo hovering near his head.

Byakuya charged the wings sending him rocketing across the room at Syazelaporro. Syazelaporro raised his sword seeming to deem himself ready to parry Byakuya's attack. Byakuya vanished a few paces away and reappeared directly in front of Syazelaporro causing him to hesitate and slacken his defensive form. Byakuya raised the crackling blade high and brought it crashing down.

Syazelaporro's sword shattered into millions of glittering pieces and Byakuya's blade nearly sliced him in half diagonally down to the hip. Blood exploded from the wound and Syazelaporro collapsed to the cool floor twitching and gasping in his death throes.

Byakuya returned his zanpaktou to its normal form and walked away leaving him to die. Syazelaporro spared one pleading look up at Aizen searching for any sign of sympathy or even empathy. Aizen just stared down at him coolly with that arrogant smile crossing his lips and watched the light fade from Syazelaporro's eyes.

**X**

Masaru stepped forward from beside his father to enter the fray stopped by a light hand firmly grasping his shoulder. "You don't need to fight Masaru," said Aizen lightly, "Let them fight for us."

Masaru smiled watching Nnoitora clashing with three lieutenants, never giving ground and sending them easily on a rout. Shuuhei retreated spinning Kazeshini in his hands and lunged with his scythes, one for the knees and the other for Nnoitora's neck. Nnoitora deflected them with ease and swatted them away.

Shuuhei flash-stepped as Nnoitora's axe swung for his chest and fired off a Hado. Nnoitora growled with annoyance and fired a massive Cero at Shuuhei. Masaru turned away from their raging battle and his eyes swept elsewhere falling on Unohana healing Hikari, Akane, and Ikkaku's wounds. Renji circled her protected her from Fraccion trying to get any bright ideas. Isane knelt beside Hikari treating the worst of her wounds with healing spells.

Masaru sonidoed down to Unohana and unsheathed his zanpaktou, ready to cut her down. Renji turned in alarm along with Isane jumping to her feet and drawing Unohana's attention to late. An oddly shaped golden blade blocked his strike and forced him back. Masaru whirled on his new opponent spotting Mayuri with Ashisogi Jizō in his right hand.

"It's not like you to interfere Captain Kurotsuchi," remarked Masaru lightly.

"Oh I have no intention of the preservation of anyone's lives present," he said. Mayuri lunged with his sword and parried a strike from Masaru, "I just want to dissect you," he laughed coldly.

Masaru dodged Ashisogi Jizō, undoubtedly laced with some form of poison he had concocted. Mayuri flash-stepped behind Masaru and his shikai slashed up his cloak barely missing skin with a quick move from Masaru somewhat-expecting Mayuri's attack.

Unohana rose from healing Ikkaku and turned her attention to Masaru fiercely striking at every angle trying to lop off one of Mayuri's limbs. She raised her palms, "Sajō Sabaku!" she cried. Twin gold chains of reiatsu burst out of her palms and locked Masaru's arms in place now bolted to the floor.

Mayuri lunged seizing the opening and stabbed with Ashisogi Jizō and plunged the blades straight into his chest. Masaru let out a gasp of surprise and could already feel the chemicals surging through his bloodstream. His reiatsu dropped instantly and he felt weaker by the second, "What..the..hell..did..you..do..to..me?" asked Masaru panting. Mayuri just smiled coyly and prepared for the final blow.

Mayuri cackled, "Dissecting you will be a delight." He brought his shikai crashing down slicing deep into his shoulder and twisted changing its course to rip through his chest. Masaru let out a silent cry of agony and blood splattered everywhere. Mayuri's eyes widened as Masaru shattered into millions of dazzling pieces of glass reflecting Aizen's cruel smile in his face.

Masaru burst out of sonidoed and slashed upward through Mayuri's back and he fell to his knees coughing up small amounts of blood. "Now you die, Kurotsuchi," spat Masaru. He raised Kurieta and a pale bolt of lightning flashed into existence burning through his shoulder and left a smoking hole. Masaru turned around seeing Hikari standing her falcate in hand along with Ikkaku and Akane standing defiantly beside her. Isane lined up behind them and Renji joined as well.

Lieutenant Iba and Rangiku flash-stepped behind him and Hinamori followed. The lieutenants formed a thin line around Masaru boxing him in. "This'll be fun," he said smiling slyly.

He dodged a dual Hado fired by Hinamori, "Raihō!" he snapped firing a wide arc of yellow energy back at her. "Danku," said Rangiku protecting Momo from the resulting blast. "Don't underestimate him everyone, he's dangerous," said Iba. Masaru laughed mockingly at him and raised his translucent sword, "Bankai," he laughed. Reiatsu exploded off of him in waves and the light subsided leaving him with the same sword in hand. Looks of confusion swept through the ring of lieutenants but Hikari replied, "Don't fall for it he can just use everyone's most powerful attacks now," she said dryly.

Masaru turned towards her their eyes meeting darkly for the first time. He could see the burning desire in her eyes for revenge. "Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!" said Masaru softly. Wings of ice sprouted out of his back and his sword arm was covered with ice in the rudimentary form of a dragon's neck. The lieutenants stood immobilized with suspense and leapt into action as he turned the blade in his hand. Ice poured off of the blade and dragons surged around the room slamming into lieutenants. He parried an attack from Rangiku and sonidoed away as she released her zanpaktou into shikai. He flew up into the air and released a shower of icicles down on them catching Isane in the shoulder.

Masaru's blade returned to its normal state with a spin and he glanced down at them all now with shikai and bankai in hands. "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," he said coolly. They all fired Kido in unison up at him too late as his sword slipped through the floor. He caught all of the spells surprising everyone and it took every ounce of his thought and composure to maintain a hold on every spell before redirecting them back at their owner with twice the strength behind them. A barrage of blasts rippled across the hall below and Masaru dove into the clouds of smoke seeking cover.

One by one dual rows of massive swords rose out of the floor and formed a neat line beside Masaru. Masaru backflipped over Mayuri as he lunged from behind sensing a spike in his reiatsu before he struck. Mayuri flash-stepped forward beside the lieutenants. "Kill him already you idiots," he snapped in frustration. Rangiku released a cloud of ash and sliced with her empty hilt landing several shallow cuts on Masaru. He dove aside as a fireball sang through the air from Hinamori and tore a massive crater in the floor.

He blocked Iba's sword slashing for his throat and sent him staggering away with a swift high kick to his forehead. Isane fired another Hado at Masaru which he snapped around and absorbed it onto the glowing pink blade now in his hands. Masaru let out the approximation of a cruel laugh and the lieutenants spared a glance up to see the pink reiatsu blades swirling all around them in a sphere. He tilted the blade and the blades shattered into waves of cherry blossom petals and cascaded down on everyone in all directions and angles at once.

Masaru dodged as Hikari sprang out of the petals through a narrow gap and stabbed straight for his heart. Black and white flames poured off of her falcate and Masaru quickly uttered, "Danku," to intercept the lethal fire.

Hikari looked up her Hollow eyes staring intently at him. He suppressed the urge to shudder and returned his blade to its normal state and locked blades with Hikari forcing her back a few paces. He quickly spared a glance at the injuries spotting Iba, Isane, and Nemu unconscious from the full extent of their injuries. Rangiku and Hinamori had deep cuts on their shoulders and sides and Kira was clutching a deep wound on the wrist of his sword arm.

Ikkaku flash-stepped towards Masaru with his bankai out and lunged at him with the massive axes sending Masaru flying from just deflecting the momentous blow. Hikari jumped over him and stabbed where his head was. Masaru rolled free and jumped to his feet letting out a slight gasp of pain as a black blade slipped between his shoulder blade. He pulled himself off and kicked at Ichigo sending him skidding away from him. "Senjū Kōten Taihō!" roared Masaru. Several violet spears of energy flickered into existence and shot straight for the horde of lieutenants and captains beginning to gather to take Masaru down once and for all. A tremendous explosion ripped through the tower and purple flames tore through the hall. "Danku," whispered Aizen diverting the path of the explosion away from him with a barrier.

Masaru laughed and turned on Hikari her eyes wide with horror as she spared glances at everyone. Kira was half-dead and lying in a massive crater. Rangiku had serious burns and cuts running up her body and Hinamori could barely move. Ikkaku had sustained a grievous injury to his left leg and he limped towards Hikari eager to back her up. Renji and Rukia hurried over to a flustered Ichigo having barely escaped the brunt of the explosion.

"Who are you?!" asked Hikari in horror. Tears trickled down Akane's face as she limped towards Hikari, "Why are you doing this?" asked Akane thoroughly hurt inside, "Please come back to us. You don't have to help him Masaru he's a monster that deserves to rot in a cell forever."

Masaru finally looked up at her deep in thought. His lips parted slightly ready to answer but he hesitated and glanced from Ikkaku to Hikari to Akane and finally resting on to Ichigo. "Ittō Kasō!" he spat in sudden cold fury. Rukia screamed, "NO!" Her shrieks earned Byakuya's attention. A bolt of red energy crackled from his fingertips and fired into the ground. A single line of red light zigzagged towards Ichigo resting at his feet. Rukia stepped back with tears in her eyes and nodded to Renji. "DANKU!" they roared throwing up multiple layers of barriers. "Everyone grab the wounded and get the hell back!" growled Ikkaku.

Hikari stared at everyone in confusion and Akane remained by her side fending off Ikkaku's attempts to pull her aside. Ichigo whirled in all directions confused. It was over in a split second. Blood red flames soared up from the ground engulfing Ichigo. Hikari couldn't help but notice it was oddly shaped like the tip of a katana. Ichigo's vanished amidst the roaring of the flames and the tongues of fire casted eerie shadows across Masaru's face standing on the other side of the spell. He released it after a few moments and nearly fell flat on his face as the structure rumbled and groaned sending a shower of marble down onto the grounds below.

"Everyone get out of here. This place can't hold out much longer!" ordered Soi Fon.

Shinigami flash-stepped in all directions eager to escape the death-trap waiting to happen. Masaru kicked over Ichigo's limp body sending him sliding out the gaping hole in the side of the tower to plummet down towards the gathering Soul Reaper's below.

Hikari attacked tackling Masaru out of the tower with a screech of pure fury. Masaru punched her and swatted her sword away with the flat of his palm against the side of the blade. Hikari brought her other sword around and Masaru blocked the attack with his own and sonidoed away onto the ruined wall below.

Shinigami stared up at him in expectance. Masaru stared at them with murderous intent, "Kongōbaku!" he cried. A massive sphere of red energy flew towards the crowd culminating in a massive explosion that surged outward sweeping up several beleaguered Soul Reapers and destroying any structures nearby.

Hikari tossed her falcate into the air, "Shunkai!" Akurai and Kage leapt out of the glowing blades and released tendrils of reiatsu to form a black and white sword in her hand. She pointed her sword at Masaru and the wolves attacked. Masaru dodged Akurai and met Kage's claws running down his left side. He hissed in agony and swiped at Kage with his blade narrowly missing the wolf's snout.

Akurai leapt through the air and Masaru fired off a Shakkaho striking the wolf in the chest and blasting it back at its master's feet. Hikari flash-stepped up to him and slashed at Masaru furiously with reiatsu pouring off of her blade. Rin flash-stepped above them in Messenger of Death form and stared down at Masaru her black visor obscuring her face. She unsheathed her two scythes and dove for Masaru knocking him off of the wall. Her stingers whipped around her shoulders and jabbed at Masaru's defenses. Her left pincher stabbed up and grabbed his mid-section.

Masaru grunted in pain as she slowly crushed him and with a quick Hado she released him with a cry of pain. Hikari's blade sliced his side and he jumped away from her firing off several more Shakkahos at them. Small blasts rippled around him and Rin burst out of a blast stabbing with her scythes. Masaru parried the strikes and kicked her away with a heeled boot.

Hikari slashed and stabbed at every inch of flesh she could reach and Masaru blocked every strike with ease much to her frustration. Ikkaku burst out of nowhere and slashed up Masaru's back with one of his axes. Masaru rolled away leaving a trail of blood in the sand. He panted hard his eyes flickering to everyone. He put a hand behind his back and Hikari glared at him suspiciously hearing a strange hum. _Healing kido I suppose. No…_

Masaru pulled the hand out alight with sapphire-blue energy and released the massive Cero with two words, "Cero Colossus," he bellowed. A massive ray of blue energy shrieked from his palms and pulverized the walls. Rin, Hikari, and Ikkaku barely avoided it by diving aside at the last possible moment.

Masaru threw his sword into the air with a faint smile spread across his lips, "Shunkai," he said ominously. His sword glowed white forming into a snow-white skinned masculine figure with no face and garbed in a black suit with a blood red tie flowing free in the wind. Kurieta was in its snowy-colored hands and it advanced on Hikari menacingly. Rin recoiled from the creature surprised by its appearance.

Masaru watched his Shunkai initiate the attack at an incomprehensible speed and slammed Kurieta against Rin's scythes sending her reeling. Two Byakurais flashed off its fingertips and Ikkaku blocked them with his massive Bankai. Hikari attacked the creation staring up at its faceless head. Suddenly the creature changed transforming into her father.

Hikari froze instantly immobilized. Ikkaku jumped in front of the sword slashing for her and Hikari watched paralyzed with fear as she stared up into her father's cold eyes. _I killed you. It's a trick get a hold of yourself._

Her father attacked again delivering a stinging cut up her cheek narrowly missing her good eye. Hikari snapped back to her senses letting out a silent cry of horror after seeing Ikkaku's motionless body. Masaru's eyes darted from Rin to Hikari as they attempted to defeat his Shunkai. Masaru froze as another Gargantuan opened behind him and Aizen. He spun around to see Urahara walk out of the darkness holding Benihime in his hand, "Well if it isn't the Aizens," he said peering up at them from beneath his hat.

Masaru frowned and released a Hado, "Hyōga Seiran!" Tendrils of frost cascaded down on Urahara and he sonidoed aside as Benihime tore the ice apart with crimson energy flashing off of its blade. Urahara pointed two fingers at Masaru, "Jūgeki Byakurai!" he uttered his voice lost in the desert wind. A dark bolt of red energy blasted through Masaru's abdomen and he fell to his knees gasping in agony. Urahara flash-stepped forward, "Cry, Benihime!" he said coldly and blood-red energy ripped off of the blade and at Masaru. Aizen blocked the attack, "Danku!" he said and unsheathed Kyoka Suigetsu. Masaru rose and fired every Hado spell he could think of at Urahara. He nearly slipped into unconsciousness from the effort placed into the spells and leaned against his sword for support.

Urahara stood unscathed but panting behind several barriers. "You're pretty good to still be standing after that," said Urahara flatly.

"Well you have to be pretty good to be former captain of the Kido Corps," said Masaru dryly.

Urahara nodded and retaliated with his shikai firing off several waves of the red energy and Urahara raised a hand towards Masaru, "Senjū Kōten Taihō!" he said. Several spears of purple flame fired from all directions at Masaru swallowing him up in a massive explosion in the same manner that he had wielded the spell on the lieutenants earlier.

Masaru limped out of the subsiding flames and Urahara barely dodged a furious Aizen. He flash-stepped away again as Aizen attacked relentlessly. "Protective of your son are we? So unlike you," commented Urahara coolly.

Aizen narrowed his eyes in cold fury and stabbed Urahara straight in the stomach. The balloon-Urahara popped and Aizen spun around expecting it, "Kurohitsugi!" said Aizen catching Urahara off guard. A black coffin snapped shut around Urahara and spears rammed through it in all directions. Aizen stared at the coffin expectant of Urahara's escape but found nothing happening after several moments. Crimson energy finally flared inside and blasted the coffin to pieces and an arc of red energy swept out of the coffin at Aizen smiting him in the chest. Aizen let out a gasp of surprise and slid back a few feet.

Urahara cast Heavenly-Void Net and his voice rang out throughout Hueco Muendo. "All of the Gotei 14 is to return to Seireitei immediately on the orders of the captain-commander!" Gargantuans began to open and Rukia and Renji dragged Ichigo inside followed by Unohana with Yumichika carrying Isane for her. Mayuri carried Nemu inside Squad 12's and his own squad followed obediently. Kyoraku and Ukitake stared wistfully at Aizen and their eyes darted to a figure trudging through the sand towards Aizen and a battered Masaru.

Hikari jumped in surprise as Masaru's Shunkai disintegrated back into normal zanpaktou form and he toppled into the sand. _Finish him! _Hikari flash-stepped over to Masaru and got a face full of Kido. She hurtled into a low sand dune and jumped back to her feet and Akurai tackled Masaru and Kage raised his claws to tear him limb from limb. Aizen sonidoed forward and slashed up the wolves' flanks with his blade and fended them off with several Hado spells.

Hikari grimaced; she knew she couldn't beat Aizen. She headed for the Gargantuan after a screaming Ikkaku and Akane yelling her name and turned as Masaru rose firing a well-aimed Byakurai straight through his heart. The Gargantuan started to close leaving everything behind.

Then the cannon hit. Hikari raced for the exit after Ikkaku and Akane as the effects of the cannon surged into their Gargantuan. Hikari dove through as the Gargantuan collapsed from the powers of the Kido Cannon ripping through the rift in space.

She was greeted by Yamamoto standing a few feet away with a silent nod of approval and pointed at an orb of light showing Hueco Muendo being consumed by the Kido Cannon. Las Noches vanished in the brunt of the blast and Aizen, Masaru and Ulquiorra vanished as the second wave hit. The Kido faded away as the dimension literally collapsed and revealed the front of the Squad 1 Barracks behind it.

Hikari spared a glance down the street towards the roof of the Squad 14 Barracks in the distance. _I did it._ _I killed him._

Hikari ran her hand through her damaged hair starting to regrow and regain its color reminded instantly of the things he had done, but at the same time her mind was thrown back into the past. She was reminded of their friendship forged at the Academy and their adventures together on the first few missions as Shinigami.

"_Shunkai?" asked Masaru quizzically._

_I was reflecting into my inner world and kept noticing that it hinted at a higher stage than even Bankai," replied Hikari in explanation, "It took me a week but I pulled it off and believe it's worth it. I'll help you since we both made a pact to grow stronger together back during the times at the Academy."_

_Masaru nodded a huge grin spreading across his face. "I can't wait," he said._

The memory vanished from her eyes replaced by a new one.

_The Yagami mansion had always astounded me every time I walked its halls. I walked out into the courtyard spotting Masaru standing beside the koi pond in the courtyard garden. She faltered as she spotted Akane with him and remained hidden from view._

_Masaru brushed Akane's hair out of her face and stared in appreciation at the ring glittering on her finger. Akane wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace and spared a glance up into the sky as tiny droplets of water greeted her skin._

_If only we could stay like this forever._

_Akane broke the embrace and kissed Masaru and broke as the rain began to increase to a downpour._

_The two laughed and held hands running for the promise of warm shelter inside and Hikari smiled faintly and left deciding to leave the two alone for the day._

Hikari met Akane's eyes and could tell she was remembering all of this too. She placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and pulled her in as the tears began to flow. Unohana was racing in all directions trying to heal everyone's wounds including Isane's. Healers from Squad 4 began to assist and worked together to help those knocking on death's door. Akane glanced at Yamamoto as he cleared his throat for silence, "Today is a great victory for us today. The Aizens are dead, the Espada vanquished once more and the destruction of Las Noches and Hueco Muendo as a whole will greatly reduce the Hollow threat. Everyone fought well today even in the face of unbelievable odds. Captain Kyaro killed Masaru Aizen at the end of the battle and will receive a reward for her valiance and the services provided to Seireitei. The Central 46 have thought this over and decided to offer her a position in the Imperial Guard."

He stared expectantly at Hikari as if already waiting for an answer. Hikari glanced from Akane and then longingly to Ikkaku and at once she knew her answer, "I think I'll pass and remain as the Captain of Squad 14," she said to Genryuusai. He nodded in approval, "it's good to have someone like you amongst our ranks," said Yamamoto with a chuckle.

Hikari nodded and Yamamoto retreated inside the barracks with his lieutenants right behind him. Hikari walked with Ikkaku and Akane down the empty streets leaving the painful cries of the wounded far behind and leaving their own suffering and grief behind them as well. _Let's put this all behind us._

"Hey guys," Hikari spoke softly interrupting the silence.

"Yes?" answered both Akane and Ikkaku.

"It's over."

**A/N: Ta-da! There will be one more chapter; an epilogue per say and then the story is over. I may write a sequel but I doubt it. Do not fret though because we still have one more amazing chapter left to go. Review, review, review! I want to know what all of you thought of the story up and until now and tell me what you liked, what I need to work on, etc.**

**For all of you Bleach fans, there is a new Bleach story in the works, collaboration by myself and Redtheamazing so keep watch for sneak peeks on my profile and the story itself. Several surprises in the next chapter that will knock your fricking socks off. Enjoy!**

**Bye, Bye!**


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"**Every end is a new beginning"**

**~Two Years Later~**

Early morning mist hung low over the rolling hills on the outskirts of Seireitei. The traditional-style Japanese manor could be partly seen amidst a circlet of calm, clear water. The sun was high in the sky and the shadowy outlines of servants rushing about the grounds could be seen from a far distance as they rushed to fulfill their duties.

Two double doors slid open giving way to the black and red mane cascading down to Hikari's shoulders. Her normal black eye patch with crimson trim was gone replaced with a black and white one with Squad Fourteen's emblem emblazoned in the center of it. She had her left hand on her hip a metallic tint glistening in the sunlight.

Akane sat beneath a cherry tree in full bloom watching a boy splash around in a koi pond, futilely attempting to catch one of the elusive fish. Akane smiled weakly as the boy spun around grinning wide from ear to ear.

Hikari stopped dead in her tracks surprised by how much more he began to look like his father with each passing day. His hair was already his jet-black color. His eyes bore their elegant resemblance to his late grandfather. Hikari continued still a little shaken and sat down in a nook in the roots of the tree beside her lieutenant. She unsheathed her zanpaktou and ran her fingers up and down the blade while watching the boy play. "Shigeru! Put the koi back," scolded Akane suddenly scowling at her son hoisting the massive flailing fish out of the water.

Hikari let out a little laugh as the boy refused taking off before a tendril of water flashed off the pond's surface and returned the fish to its depths. Shigeru whirled around glowering at his mother. Hikari sighed before releasing her Shunkai to keep the young boy occupied.

Akurai and Kage bounded after the boy all around the grounds leaving Hikari and Akane to talk, "Does he know yet?" asked Hikari gently.

"Of course not," snarled Akane rounding on her, "Why would I tell him?!"

"I think he has the right to know about Masaru," said Hikari calmly.

Akane rose staring down at her with venom laced in her gaze, "He will NEVER know about his father."

Hikari rose, her sword returning to its original form, "Eventually Shigeru will find out." And with that she crossed the gardens and vanished out the courtyard gates. Shigeru raced across the dew-covered lawn to his mother's slumped form sliding down the tree. "Mommy what's wrong?" asked Shigeru unsure of his mother's tears streaming off of her cheeks.

Akane spared a glance up at Shigeru, "N-Nothing, go find Kiyoshi; she'll play with you for a while," she said trembling.

**~Fifteen Years Later~**

Shigeru stood now over five feet taller with ruffled hair with zanpaktou in hand glowering at Hikari defiantly. Hikari gave him no time for words. She released her bankai at full force and Shigeru flash-stepped out of the deadly path of the black and white flames.

Shigeru smiled and let his sword slip from his fingers which shattered like a pane of glass from sight. Hikari froze reaching out for any hidden traces of his reiatsu. Shigeru flash-stepped for her beckoning with his hands and two clear blades stabbed out of the ground for her. Hikari glided up high into the sky. Shigeru swept his hand horizontally through the air and a huge clear blade burst out of the air and cut off a strand of her hair.

Hikari dodged again and again as more and more blades appeared out of thin air. She sighed and tossed her falcate into the air releasing her Shunkai and watched Akurai and Kage dive straight for Shigeru. Shigeru fired off two Shakkahos that exploded beside the two wolves. He rolled aside just as they neared impact and watched them slam into the ground leaving craters in their wake.

Shigeru still held a gaze of deadly intent and Hikari edged away a little, "Shigeru?!" she called out slightly worried.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he spat venomously at Hikari. "Who told you?" asked Hikari gently.

"Some unseated officers from Squad 11 after I beat them in a practice duel," said Shigeru quietly. Shigeru raced forward at Hikari and a wall of translucent blades rose from the ground and more and wore boxed off Hikari in a labyrinth of sorts. Hikari rounded a corner finding a dead end, _Shit._

She jumped back as Shigeru burst out of the blade and the labyrinth shattered into billions of pieces falling upon Hikari. "Danku!" she cried shielding herself from the assault.

Hikari lashed immersing herself in several Kido spells, "Shakkaho! Byakurai! Hyapporankan! Hainawa!" she cried.

Shigeru dodged the small explosion and took the Byakurai to the shoulder stopping dead in his tracks. Hyapporankan hit him hard restraining him in the golden chains. A tendril of red energy coiled around his hands binding him further.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" snapped Hikari planting a hard kick across the face. "This was a training bout you came at me with the intention to kill," she continued snarling.

Shigeru said nothing staring up at her defiantly, "I guess I have too much of Masaru in me."

Hikari slapped him fiercely, "Your father was a good man until he made some pretty dumbass decisions!" she snapped losing her temper.

"At least you knew him," spat Shigeru releasing an explosion of Spiritual Pressure to shred the Bakudo spells binding him. His zanpaktou returned to his hand and he stalked off leaving her alone.

**~Two Years Later~**

Shigeru strode across the bridge towards the Squad 1 Barracks with a white cloak around him, but unmarked unlike a haori. A lieutenant's badge was attached to his left shoulder, bound with red cloth to his Shihakusho. The badge was emblazoned with the Squad 1 Emblem.

Shigeru's zanpaktou sat sheathed in ebony wooden sheathe strapped across the left side of his chest. He bore an aura of pure elegance and lethality about him. A Rukongai uprising led by several rogue shinigami had been tasked to him to eliminate. They had asked and he had delivered with vicious retribution. Shigeru pushed upon the doors nearly slamming face first into the messenger and he quickly started incessantly babbling an incoherent apology.

Shigeru raised his hand in an order for silence while massaging his temple before allowing him to pass. The messenger flash-stepped away and Shigeru ducked inside a little irritated. _Idiot. _He stalked past several Soul Reapers standing guard at the door and he entered the Head Captain's office unopposed.

Shigeru bowed before Yamamoto and rose with a slight beckoning of Genryuusai's hand, "Shigeru, we have been detecting greater Hollow activity in the World of the Living lately. Kurotsuchi reports a Vasto Lorde may have possibly appeared in Karakura Town. Shigeru's eyes rose, "Interesting, ever since the destruction of Hueco Muendo we haven't seen many powerful Hollows causing problems," he replied.

"Yes, but Captain Kurotsuchi reports fluctuation patterns in space and it seems that the Kido Cannon's effects seem to be fading and that the dimension will regrow with time," said Yamamoto gravely.

Shigeru turned looked at him seriously, "It's regrown?!"

"Kurotsuchi has delivered data on its regrowth," confirmed Yamamoto handing him a stack of paperwork.

Shigeru stared down over the railing at Seireitei below. A nice change from the plumes of smoke and fire from the recent rebellion. "I'll leave for the World of the Living now, a threat like that cannot be left to wander among the humans. I expect my Gentei Reiin to be deactivated," said Shigeru after a moment of silence.

He unsheathed his zanpaktou tossing it in the air and caught it easily in his right hand and made a motion as if impaling the air and turned the hilt of his sword, opening a Senkai Gate to the World of the Living. He vanished inside the field of light blue energy and the doors slid to a slow close behind him. When the doors opened again he found himself in the World of the Living in a park somewhere in Karakura Town. He could see the high-rise apartment buildings about ten blocks away. He immediately cast his senses out feeling a sudden spike in Spiritual Pressure. The cry of a massive Hollow filled the air and Shigeru immediately took to the sky gliding towards the noise. He landed on the pitcher mound of a baseball diamond at the middle school.

The ashes of an Adjuchas faded to nothing and several tendrils of energy vanished into the mouth of a Vasto Lorde standing solemnly on the other side of the field with his back turned to him. "A shinigami," he said his voice coming out in a curious hiss, "This won't take long."

Shigeru smiled slyly and raised his hand an adept in Kido already. "Sōren Sōkatsui!" he yelled. Two funnels of blue flame crashed down in a torrent upon the Vasto Lorde catching him off guard. The Vasto Lorde sonidoed out of harm's way and released a distracting Bala before sonidoing again. Shigeru was waiting and stuck with his palm striking the Vasto Lorde hard throwing him through the air with ease. The Vasto Lorde slid to a halt above him hovering in the air staring with menace down his nose at him.

Shigeru reached for his zanpaktou yanking it out of its sheathe and flicking it into a normal position with a flick of the wrist. He flash-stepped attacking the Vasto Lorde aggressively. The Vasto Lorde absorbed the blow with his hierro and produced a blade made purely of Cero and initiated the offensive driving Shigeru back with a flurry of blows.

Shigeru twisted avoiding being impaled by the crackling blade and released his Shikai. "Ravage, Sairentokirā!" he whispered letting his blade plummet back to the baseball diamond. The blade shattered into millions of pieces of glass before vanishing into the ground. The Vasto Lorde became alert watching the ground. Shigeru swept his hands through the air and two long blades snapped into existence stretching for the Vasto Lorde's throat.

The Vasto Lorde ducked receiving a wicked cut to his left shoulder. Shigeru let out a cry of triumph and flash-stepped low under the blades and five more thundered out of the ground and encircled the Vasto Lorde. They blades began to spin in a synchronized rhythm and drew closer. The Vasto Lorde panicked and shot up higher in the sky trying to escape. He lashed out releasing powerful Ceros in all directions. A strangled, hysterical voice shouted from inside the blades, "RESURRECION!"

Black and violet energy blasted the blades into pieces and he emerged with a crown of jagged teeth on his head a mask similar to a visor on a medieval knight's helm. White bone covered his body in elegant armor and a sword appeared in his hand, the hilt formed out of human femurs and the guard formed from two bottom jaws. A bone white blade lined on one edge with sharpened canines shot out of the guard.

Shigeru stared warily at the Vasto Lorde feeling the raw power rippling off of him. The Vasto Lorde sonidoed giving him no time. He threw up several blades in a meager attempt to protect himself and felt the blade cut shallowly across his chest drawing a very thin trickle of blood.

"BANKAI!" he roared dodging several more blows narrowly. Reiatsu poured off of him and shoved him away abruptly. He vanished in a flash of light and reappeared wielding a long translucent spear with a sword on the bottom. He charged and the blade lanced for the Vasto Lorde's chest faster than the eye could follow. The Vasto Lorde parried the blow, the serrated edge nearly cleaving into Shigeru's chest. Shigeru glanced the vicious counterattack off of the handle of his spear and twirled it quickly bringing the sword to slice off a piece of armor on his right shoulder.

The Vasto Lorde raised his sword, a purple charging on the tip, "Cero Obscuros!" A massive pulsating ray blasted off of the sword and Shigeru vanished in the storm of raw power. The Cero subsided revealing a slightly singed Shigeru seemingly unaffected.

The Vasto Lorde's eyes widened in surprise spotting a change in his Bankai, a circle appeared in the center of the handle and Shigeru spun it around quickly in a clockwise pattern. The Vasto Lorde let out a cry of surprise as a Cero ripped into existence and returned on its owner. Shigeru dodged as the Vasto Lorde emerged from the Cero some of his armor blackened and stabbed straight for Shigeru's heart. Shigeru dodged his spear ramming straight into his right shoulder. "Die!" snarled Shigeru, "Raihō!" he chanted. Yellow energy glowed in the clear spear and flowed all the way up to the spearhead driven inside of the Vasto Lorde and the Hado fired off inside him. The Vasto Lorde was blasted off the spear and plummeted through a dugout.

Shigeru pointed his spear down at the crater and caught the incoming Cero on his spear and poured his own reiatsu into it and released it in one powerful concentrated ray. The Vasto Lorde let out a cry of agony as his chestplate was blown to pieces and bits of visor cracked and fell off revealing a pair of blue eyes behind the mask.

The Vasto Lorde rose to his feet finding the sky above him empty. He whirled around too late and felt the sword plunge into his stomach and rip out before being yanked out of his rent throat. The Vasto Lorde collapsed in death throes in a pool of his own blood and felt his life drain away before his very eyes.

Shigeru stared down at him unremorsefully and with no regret and turned away leaving the Hollow to die. His zanpaktou had returned to its normal state and he vanished inside the now-opening Senkai Gate leaving the cool night air of the World of the Living behind him.

** ~One Year Later~**

Hozuki Madarame stood in the Squad 11 Barracks dodging blows from three unseated officers seeming rather unenthusiastic. She lashed out with her bare foot and caught a mountain of a man in the gut and sent him tumbling across the dojo with ease. She ducked under a zanpaktou and jabbed with a strike of her hand and caught him in the throat sending him staggering away. She backflipped on the woman attacking her from behind and spin kicked her across the face sending her rolling towards another group practicing.

Hozuki landed in a crouch glaring at the two men returning, attempting to plank her. They charged and at the last few seconds she leapt up into the air and lashed out with both feet upper cutting both of them and sending them crashing back to the tatami mats. She landed back into her feline crouch and rolled under the woman and swept her feet out from under her. She noticed her father's watchful eye on her and returned the stare and ducked under another blow. She lashed out with a wicked punch and caught the tall man under his jaw and knocked him out cold.

She unsheathed her zanpaktou partially while standing on one hand vertically and blocked to blows before rolling free out of harm's way and let her zanpaktou fall back into its sheath. Hozuki ducked and weaved easily dodging the other man's attacks, just toying with him now. She let out a rather bored sigh and lashed out with her foot, kicking high and slammed his face into the ground with a swipe of her foot across his cheek.

The man stirred feebly on the ground and she glanced behind her seeing the metallic tint of a blade singing for her back. She caught the blade between her two palms and narrowed her eyes at the woman glowering at her. She released her hold on the blade and flash-stepped behind her suddenly and jabbed with pointed fingers at several spots on her back and shoulders rendering her arms useless with several chi-blocking attacks.

The woman crumpled temporarily paralyzed and Hozuki dropped onto a cushion off the edge of the ring picking up her cup of tea, a thin flow of steam still rising from it. Kenpachi let out a bout of insane laughter, "Well how 'bout that? She's like her old man," he laughed his hair not gelled today but hanging loose on his shoulders.

Ikkaku smiled slightly glancing up at Hozuki and turned towards the door to the dojo sliding open and Captain Madarame Hikari stalked in with her crimson hair returned to its normal length, all traces of Masaru's Kido nearly gone.

Hozuki turned around beaming at her mother surrounded by three unconscious forms. Hikari let out an amused chuckle and crossed the room towards Kenpachi, "What 'cha want Kyaro?" asked Kenpachi in a low growl.

Hikari scowled and handed him a message, "Head Captain's orders hmm…" he said quickly reading over the scroll.

"Hozuki looks like you have an assignment," said Kenpachi lazily beckoning her over. Hozuki flash-stepped across the room and took the scroll quickly scanning over her orders, "Who's my partner?" she asked curiously turning to face her mother.

"Yagami Shigeru," she replied.

**Owari**

**A/N: And so concludes this epic story. I had so much fun writing it and I finally have an answer for the troubling question of the possibility of a sequel. Yes, I will try to get it started before the end of the month. Otherwise, it will absolutely be published during the beginning of December, I see no reason that I shouldn't be able to this month though.**

**Anyway, please review with how you like the story. Suggestions for the sequel and feedback for this story, PM if you don't feel like reviewing.**

**P.S. They're may be a possible Shigeru x Hozuki pairing in the sequel on Red's request. Red and I are also developing another Bleach story called Soul City right now which should be released hopefully soon. But it's gonna be huge I tell you! I'm hoping it will become one of the most popular stories on this fandom.**

**Keep watch for the sequel and any more of my stories ^-^! Bye now!**


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